MEDIA RELEASE

A Puna man is in police custody in connection with a fatal shooting Monday (March 7) in lower Puna.

In response to a 5:14 p.m. report of a shooting in the Kapoho Beach Lots subdivision, officers found a male victim. The suspect, 72-year-old Richard R. Edwards of Kapoho, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of second-degree murder. He is being held at the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section continue the investigation.

The victim has not been positively identified. An autopsy will be ordered to determine his exact cause of death.

Police ask anyone with any information about this case to all the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Dean Uyetake at 961-2379 or dean.uyetake@hawaiicounty.gov.

Tipsters 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. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.