An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the exact cause of death of a 37-year-old Hilo man whose body was found Saturday afternoon in the Wailuku River below Rainbow Falls in Hilo.
Police say they know the man’s identity, but aren’t releasing it to the public pending notification of next of kin.
According to the Hawaii Police Department, shortly before 2 p.m., officers and Hawaii Fire Department personnel responded to Rainbow Falls State Park after receiving a report of a body floating face down at the bottom of the falls.
“We’re still doing some interviews with acquaintances, but at this point, we have no reason to suspect foul play,” Lt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section said Monday. “An autopsy will probably be able to rule out foul play. Depending on injuries, it may be hard to determine accidental fall versus intentional jump.”
According to Amon-Wilkins, there were no known witnesses to the apparent drowning and the body had been in the water “only a day or so.”
The waterfall is about 85 feet in height and the river can be treacherous — Wailuku means “waters of destruction” in Hawaiian. Flash flooding during wet weather, which Hilo hasn’t seen much of lately, can make the river even more dangerous.
Anyone with information should call the Hawaii Police Department’s nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.