Armed Suspect in Hawaii Triple Murder Arrested After Intense Big Island Manhunt

The Hawaii Police Department arrested a 36-year-old triple murder suspect who had been on the run. Jacob Daniel Bake was accused of committing three killings, with the victims’ bodies found near one another. The killings shocked the Big Island community before the suspect was apprehended.

It was on the afternoon of May 28 that police received a tip that the accused was hiding in a shallow grassy area on the Big Island. When authorities approached the location, they found him inside a small cave, where he was arrested without further incident

Baker, a resident of Pahoa, had been linked to the deaths of three people. He was arrested on suspicion of murder and burglary and is facing additional charges. The 36-year-old had been on the run following the killings and was finally apprehended after an extensive search across the Big Island.

According to the Hawaii Police Department, the search for Baker was successful after both federal and state authorities helped search the area where he had been hiding. Authorities described him as an armed and dangerous suspect.

Baker reportedly committed the three murders over the course of two days between May 26 and 27, 2026. The victims include two 69-year-olds, Robert Shine and John Carse, both from Pahoa. The third victim, whose details are yet to be confirmed, is reported to be a 79-year-old male.

Investigators have reported that the bodies of Shine and the unidentified victim were found just a hundred meters away. The mortal remains of Carse were, however, spotted nearly 19 miles away from the other two. According to the autopsy report of all three victims, their deaths were consistent with injuries common to homicide.

The scene of the crime for the three murders was marked as a remote and quite rural part of the Big Island region. As such, the area is known to be a balanced mix of tropical landscape and barren fields of lava.

After the arrest of Baker, Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna spoke at a news conference and updated the public on the latest developments. He mentioned that the tip for locating the murder suspect was received early on May 28, and the authorities acted fast to finally nab him.

Chief Mahuna remarked that they hadn’t identified a motive for Baker committing the murders. He also did not release any information on how the authorities connected the suspect with the three killings. Mahuna, however, confirmed that there were no links that could be established between all three victims.

The Hawaii Police Department report claimed that the murders took place a few days after a temporary restraining order was requested against Baker. The seekers of this petition were two women. They alleged that the 36-year-old had threatened and harassed them inside a farm that was owned by his ex-wife.

Both women made similar allegations about Baker threatening to kill several women staying in the farm and others occupying the farm. The suspect reportedly proclaimed his intentions of swatting everyone away from the property, including a disabled man. However, a presiding judge declined both applications, citing insufficient evidence of harassment.