Parole for man who shot accused pot thief

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An Ocean View man who shot and killed a Milolii man he accused of trying to steal marijuana out of his yard in 2009 has been paroled to Oregon.

The Hawaii Paroling Authority granted the supervised release for Kevin C. Metcalfe at a hearing Thursday at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo.

The decision was prompted by the Oregon authorities’ acceptance of Metcalfe’s application via an interstate compact, Hawaii Parole Board Chairman Bert Matsuoka said.

“I believe his family is there,” Metcalfe said.

Metcalfe’s release date has not yet been set. His travel itinerary is to be set by the parole office, and his family must come up with the airfare to Oregon, Matsuoka said.

Metcalfe, who had been serving two concurrent 20-year terms in Arizona for manslaughter, was transferred to HCCC on March 19. He had come back to the Big Island for a work furlough program, which ultimately was not feasible because he was accepted to Oregon, Matsuoka said.

The Hawaii Paroling Authority denied Metcalfe at a Dec. 20 2013 hearing, saying Metcalfe should consider a work furlough program such as the one offered at HCCC. He became eligible for another hearing in February.

Metcalfe was convicted of manslaughter in March 2010 for shooting 44-year-old Larry Kuahuia in the back with a 12-guage shotgun. Prosecutors had brought second-degree murder charges, but the jury determined that Metcalfe had acted recklessly rather than intentionally. Police and prosecutors said Kuahuia was trying to steel marijuana out of Metcalfe’s greenhouse. Metcalfe had possessed a medical marijuana certificate, but it had lapsed at the time of the shooting, prosecutors said.