Two victims were identified by police as Robert Shine and John Carse.
PĀHOA, Hawaii — Three men were found dead over two days in lower Puna, setting off a major manhunt that ended Thursday with the arrest of 36-year-old Jacob Daniel Baker.
The case has unsettled a rural stretch of Hawaii Island where neighbors said people often know one another by name and many kūpuna live alone. Police said Baker, of Pāhoa, was arrested after officers found him hiding in a small cave near Kalapana Kapoho Road following a tip from the public.
The first victim, 69-year-old Robert Shine, was found Monday evening at a residence in the 14-000 block of Papaya Farms Road. Police said officers first responded to a report of a disturbance and later opened a homicide investigation after suspicious circumstances emerged. An autopsy showed Shine died from strangulation, though the pathologist’s final ruling was pending standard toxicology results.
On Tuesday afternoon, police found a 79-year-old man dead with suspicious injuries at a nearby Papaya Farms Road residence. Authorities said the site was about 400 feet from the first scene. Police had not publicly named him in their formal update, but loved ones identified him to Hawaii News Now as Chitta Morse. Later Tuesday, officers went to a property on Kalapana Kapoho Beach Road for a welfare check and found 69-year-old John Carse dead. Police said Carse died from sharp force trauma.
The search for Baker widened after police said they believed he was linked to all three deaths. Officers described him as extremely dangerous before his arrest. The search brought in state and federal support, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals Service. Police Chief Reed Mahuna said the department’s thoughts were with the victims and their families, adding that investigators would continue working to seek justice on their behalf.
Local residents told Hawaii News Now that the killings left them frightened and grieving. Puna resident Priya Surrago said people had been scared because the area is close-knit and not everyone has strong home security. Aumrae McCarroll said the arrest brought relief after what he called a case that felt too close to home. Ariyah Barron said she had seen Baker in the community and had kept her distance from him.
Police said Baker was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and several property-related offenses, including burglary, theft and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. Investigators have not released a motive. They also have not said whether the victims knew one another beyond living in the same broad area of lower Puna.
The case remained active Friday as detectives reviewed evidence from multiple scenes and prepared the matter for the next legal steps. Police said additional details would be released when available.
Author note: Last updated Friday, May 29, 2026.