Full Breakdown
Triple Homicides Prompt Manhunt for Jacob Daniel Baker
5/29/2026, 12:32:57 AM
Timeline of the Killings
- Monday, 8 p.m. – A 69-year-old man was found partially submerged in a cement pond on Railroad Avenue, Pahoa.
- Tuesday, 12:39 p.m. – A 79-year-old man was discovered dead inside a home on Papaya Farms Road, about 400 ft from the first scene.
- Tuesday, 9:58 p.m. – A second 69-year-old man was found on Kalapana-Kapoho Road, roughly 19 mi from the earlier sites.
All three deaths were ruled homicides with “suspicious injuries” and blunt-force trauma. Police have linked the incidents to a single suspect, Jacob “Jake” Daniel Baker, 36, of Pahoa.
Background, Prior Record & Community Impact
Baker is described as 5´ 9´´, 190 lb, short black hair, with a tattoo under his left eye. Court records show two prior convictions: driving under the influence of drugs (2022) and possession of an open liquor container in a vehicle (2010). The killings occurred in the rural coastal community of Koae, home to roughly 1,200 residents, shaking a tight-knit farming area that had previously hosted community events and cooperative projects.
Official Statements & Responses
Hawai‘i Island Police Chief Reed Mahuna told a press conference that investigators are “confident” Baker is responsible, though details of how he was identified remain undisclosed. Mayor Kimo Alameda emphasized public safety, noting increased patrols in Pahoa and a round-the-clock search effort. The police department labeled Baker “armed and extremely dangerous,” urging anyone who sees him to call 911 and not approach. Authorities have opened tip lines, offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Criticism, Community Concerns & Opposition
Neighbors reported Baker’s “erratic, manic and paranoid” behavior, including confrontations, a scuffle in which he allegedly attacked residents and a dog, and the theft of a pickup truck. Two temporary restraining orders were filed against him, citing threats to personal safety. Community members expressed fear that the suspect’s mental-health issues were not being addressed, and they questioned the lack of disclosed motive.
On-the-Ground Reports
A 49-year-old resident recounted that Baker was evicted from a communal garden, then moved between homes, shouting “Bob’s dead” repeatedly before fleeing on foot. Witnesses described a “notebook full of sick, violent, paranoid stories” left behind. One officer reported the second victim’s body showed signs of being “bludgeoned with a rock or a 10-pound weight” and hacked with a machete. After the second killing, Baker allegedly stole a pickup and traveled to the third scene.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police have not disclosed the forensic evidence linking Baker to the crimes, nor the exact motive. Autopsy findings vary: some reports cite blunt-force trauma, while others mention possible machete injuries. Victim identities remain partially undisclosed; loved ones have identified two victims as Bob Shine and Chitta Morse, but official releases have withheld full names.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Over the past 48 hours, our island has experienced three separate homicides in the Puna district, all of which we believe are connected and involve a single suspect,” — Reed Mahuna, Hawai‘i Island Police Chief
- “If the suspect is watching this, we would like him to contact the police, turn himself in, and don’t risk any further harm to anyone else or himself,” — Reed Mahuna
- “He was yelling crazy things. None of it really made sense but one of the things that stood out was, he screamed ‘Bob’s dead’ about three to four times,” — Jacob Spandl, neighbor
- “We all had pretty much known that Jake, the suspect, had gone into a really severe schizophrenic, mental breakdown and got very violent on one of the farms where he was living down there, multiple days beforehand,” — Smiley Burrows, community member
- “It happened right across the street from my farm. It’s really scary.” — Elizabeth Kekedi, Alohilani Orchids owner
- “I’m just still really in shock and just going through different waves of emotion and disbelief and sadness, looking at old pictures and just remembering all the good times and just what a light of love he was to so many people,” — Daughter of Bob Shine
What’s Next
Police continue to seek Baker’s whereabouts through tip lines (Detective Duane Rapoza, 808-961-2383; Detective Sy Keltner, 808-961-2384) and anonymous CrimeStoppers calls (808-961-8300). Autopsy results and forensic analysis are ongoing as investigators work to determine motive and prevent further violence.
