Police seek leads in Puna slaying
Police are hoping for the break they need to solve a fatal shooting early Saturday morning in Puna.
According to Lt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section, evidence so far indicates that the victim, 36-year-old Junio Resun of Nanawale Estates, was shot at the location his body was found, Nanawale Boulevard and Seaview Avenue, in the subdivision off Highway 132 near Pahoa.
In a statement issued Saturday, police say the shooting occurred shortly before 3 a.m. and arriving officers found Resun’s body in the intersection of the roadway, surrounded by his family members.
Police have yet to publicly identify a motive. Asked if it appears the slaying might be family-related, Amon-Wilkins replied, “No. There’s no indication of that, at all.”
He added none of the family at the scene said they saw the shooting, and they responded because they heard a gunshot or gunshots.
“We do not have any concrete witnesses to the shooting itself,” Amon-Wilkins said. “There’s nothing to indicate that he was involved in any confrontation.”
According to court records, Resun has no record of criminal convictions in Hawaii, only traffic infractions dating back to 2008, all on Hawaii Island.
Amon-Wilkins said police haven’t recovered a firearm and “are following up on” reports of a vehicle or vehicles in the area at about that time. Asked the type of firearm police think was used in the shooting, Amon-Wilkins said police aren’t ready to release that information.
An autopsy on Resun’s body is scheduled for today to determine an exact cause of death.
Police are asking for anyone with information on this incident, or who may have been in the area of Nanawale Boulevard and Seaview Road around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, to contact Detective Casey Cabral of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section, at 961-2384 or at Casey.Cabral@hawaiicounty.gov, or Amon-Wilkins at 961-2252 or Rio.Amon-Wilkins@hawaiicounty.gov.
“I just want to reiterate that if there was somebody in the area who saw or heard anything to contact police,” Amon-Wilkins said.
Those who prefer anonymity can call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
