Triple Murder Suspect Jacob Baker Caught in Cave on Hawaii's Big Island
Jacob Daniel Baker, 36, was arrested Thursday after a multiday manhunt across the Big Island. Three men aged 69 to 79 were found dead earlier in the week.
Suspect found hiding in cave after Big Island manhunt
A citizen tip helped end a days-long search for a man accused of killing three elderly men on Hawaii's Big Island, NYT US News reports. Jacob Daniel Baker, 36, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon after witnesses spotted someone matching his description crouching in a grassy field as traffic passed. Surveillance footage then showed him fleeing to a neighboring property, where officers located him inside a small cave.
"It was a citizen that saw something, said something and helped bring this manhunt to a safe conclusion," Hawaii Police Department Chief Reed Mahuna said at a Thursday press conference.
The investigation began late Monday evening when patrol officers found Robert Shine, 69, dead at a residence. The following afternoon, a second victim — a 79-year-old man — was discovered nearby with what police described as "suspicious injuries." Later that Tuesday evening, officers responded to a home roughly 19 miles (31 km) away and found John Carse, 69, also dead.
By Wednesday, authorities had identified Baker as a suspect in all three homicides and warned the public that he was "armed and extremely dangerous." The search involved the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and multiple state agencies.
As of Thursday afternoon, Baker had been charged on suspicion of second-degree murder, burglary, and theft, among other offenses. Police told reporters they could not yet publicly confirm how the three killings were connected or whether first-degree murder charges would follow.
Days before the killings, two women had sought restraining orders against Baker, accusing him of threats and harassment. A judge denied both applications, citing insufficient evidence. The Hawaii Police Department said it had no prior knowledge of the allegations contained in those petitions.
The Associated Press noted that no attorney was listed for Baker. In previous legal matters — primarily traffic infractions — he had represented himself in court.
Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda, speaking at Thursday's press conference, said the killings and the subsequent search had deeply unsettled the rural community on the Big Island.
"I couldn't sleep last night, me and many others," Alameda said. "That's why I extend my deepest gratitude to the officers, investigators and all supporting agencies who have been working around the clock to find this suspect."
Source: NYT US News