image of the scene from video by Daryl Lee

UPDATE – Hawaiʻi Island Police have identified the victim in yesterday’s shooting incident in Puna as 45-year old Denton Freitas of Mountain View.

(BIVN) – Hawaiʻi Island police are investigating a murder after a body was found on the side of a rural road in Puna on Saturday, November 24.

Police issued this media release Saturday evening:

At approximately 1:45 p.m. this afternoon, patrol officers responded to the Fern Acres subdivision after receiving a report of a resident hearing multiple gunshots in the area of Anthurium Street. While officers were responding to the scene a passing motorist reported seeing a body on the side of the road on Anthurium Street. Officers found an adult male face down on the side of Anthurium Street with apparent gunshot wounds to his body and spent casings nearby. The victim has not yet been positively identified.

image of the scene from video by Daryl Lee

Detectives with the Criminal Investigation Section are continuing this investigation which has been classified as a murder.

An autopsy has been ordered to determine the victim’s exact cause of death.

image of the scene from video by Daryl Lee

Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311 or Detective Wendall Carter at (808) 961-2383 or Wendall.carter@hawaiicounty.gov.