5-01-24 Police Continue December 2023 Hilo Homicide Investigation
Hawai’i Police Department
Criminal Investigation Division – Area I
Captain Rio Amon-Wilkins
Phone: (808) 961-2251
Report No.: 23-113936
Media Release
Hawai’i Island police detectives continue to investigate a December 2023 homicide that left 68-year-old Albert Harry Pacheco Sr., of Hilo, dead.
On December 3, 2023, shortly before 4:45 p.m., South Hilo patrol officers responded to a report of an unresponsive male seated within a vehicle on a banana farm above Alae Cemetery in Hilo. Responding officers located Pacheco, later determined to be an employee at the farm, seated within his vehicle. He was found to have a single gunshot wound to his upper thigh area.
An autopsy was later performed and the forensic pathologist ruled the case a homicide. This case is currently classified as second-degree murder.
During the course of this investigation, Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives have interviewed numerous witnesses, to include employees of the banana farm and neighboring properties. Police have not yet identified a motive or suspect in this case.
Police ask anyone who may have information relative to this case to call Detective Christopher Jelsma of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2386, via email at Christopher.Jelsma@hawaiicounty.gov, or the police department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.
