HONOLULU (AP) — For residents of Puna, a remote and eclectic part of Hawaii’s Big Island, the killings of three men known for embracing the community’s off-grid, free-spirited lifestyle became a startling reminder of its struggles too.Nearly 24 hours after Jacob Baker was arrested, residents were struggling to understand what happened and were eager for answers on why authorities zeroed in on the 36-year-old as their suspect in the killings of the men who were all nearing or in their 70s.Baker remained jailed on suspicion of murder, burglary and other charges.Court records show Baker having repeated run-ins with police for a variety of offenses. And people who live in Puna told The Associated Press that their concern about Baker in recent days accelerated, portraying him as increasingly threatening. Baker is accused of being involved in the deaths of three men: a 69-year-old man found partially submerged in a cement pond, a 79-year-old man who was found just a few hundred feet (meters) away, and a third man, also 69, whose body was found about 19 miles (31 kilometers) away. As of Friday, prosecutors had not yet filed charges.
Police identified the first victim as Robert Shine and the third victim as John Carse. The name of the 79-year-old man was pending positive identification but friends identified him as Chitta Morse.Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna said investigators had not found any connections among the victims, other than two of them lived near each other.
