MEDIA RELEASE

Steve Dingle

The Hawai’i Police Department has initiated a murder investigation into the death of an adult female.

Responding to a 6:23 p.m. call Saturday (May 29th) of an affray on Kamehamehea Avenue, South Hilo patrol officers determined that a woman had been stabbed several times.

Citizens who witnessed the assault subdued the suspect and he was taken to Hilo Medical Center for treatment and subsequently arrested. The suspect, identified as 47-year-old Steve Dingle of Mountain View, is being held at the Hilo police cellblock while detectives from the Area I Criminal Investigations Section continue the investigation.

The victim, identified as 38-year-old Catherine Dingle, also of Mountain View, was taken to Hilo Medical Center in critical condition. She expired after emergency surgery and was pronounced dead at 1:05 a.m. Sunday (May 30).

The victim and suspect are husband and wife. No motive has been established.

Police are asking for the public’s help in this case and ask that anyone with any information about it call Detective Derek Morimoto at 961-2380 or the Police Department’s non emergency line at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 329-8181 in Kona or 961-8300 in Hilo. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.