MEDIA RELEASE

Howard Philip Zimmerman

Big Island police have charged a Bellevue, Washington, man with murder and other offenses in connection with a fatal domestic disturbance at a resort on the Kohala Coast late Monday (May 23).

At 4:40 p.m. Wednesday (May 25), detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section charged Howard Philip Zimmerman—also known as Philip Howard Zimmerman—with second-degree murder, kidnapping, first-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree criminal property damage.

His bail was set at $320,000.

He remains in custody at the Kona police cellblock pending his initial court appearance on Thursday (May 26).

The victim, 44-year-old Susan Brockert of Bellevue, Washington, was pronounced dead at North Hawai’i Community Hospital at 12:23 a.m. Tuesday (May 24). An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

Zimmerman and Brockert were registered at the resort together.