MEDIA RELEASE

Hawaiʻi Island Police are investigating a shooting in Puna on Monday morning, (March 18), that left one man dead.

At about 12:30 a.m., patrol officers responded to the Fern Acres subdivision after receiving a report of a man with a gunshot wound lying on the driveway of a Plumeria Street residence. Officers arriving at the scene found an unresponsive male with an apparent gunshot wound. 

The investigation, initially classified as a coroner’s inquest, has been re-classified as second-degree murder and police do not have a suspect in custody at this time.

At 10:26 a.m., (today), the victim has been positively identified as 38-year-old Joshua John Santos of Puna.

Detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section continue to investigate, and an autopsy has been scheduled to determine the victim’s exact cause of death.

Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to call Detective Kelly Moniz at (808) 961-2385 or email Kelly.moniz@hawaiicounty.gov or the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.