Hawaii Island police Thursday afternoon identified the body discovered last week in a remote area of the Eden Roc subdivision of Puna.
The victim was identified as 49-year-old Sean Nephi Kuhia, of Volcano, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
Puna Patrol officers responded at 10:26 a.m. Aug. 17 to the subdivision after receiving a report of a body on an unpaved roadway. Upon conducting several checks, police said they located the body of a male victim.
Detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigation Section are continuing this investigation which is classified as a second-degree murder.
Kuhia was last seen during the late evening hours of Aug. 16, on Leila Road in Fern Forest.
On Aug. 18, an autopsy was performed and concluded that the victim died as a result of multiple blunt force trauma injuries. The manner of death was ruled homicide.
Anyone with information on this incident or who may have been in the area of Leila Road on the evening of Aug. 16 should contact Detective Scotty Aloy at (808) 961-2375 or email him at scotty.aloy@hawaiicounty.gov.
Those who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.