Hawaii Police Arrest Triple-Homicide Suspect After Big Island Manhunt
Hawaii police arrested Jacob Baker, 36, of Pahoa, on Thursday, May 28, 2026, ending a multi-day manhunt for the suspect in three killings on the Big Island.[1]
Officers arrested him without incident after a tip led searchers to a small cave or grassy roadside area where he was hiding, police said.[2] Police now say they are confident Baker was involved in all three deaths, but they have not disclosed how he was identified, what evidence links him to the killings, or any possible motive.[1] Autopsies found 69-year-old Robert Shine died of strangulation, 69-year-old John Carse died of sharp-force trauma, and a 79-year-old man suffered apparent blunt-force injuries and has not been publicly named.[2]
Days before the killings, two women filed temporary restraining orders accusing Baker of threats, harassment and other misconduct at a farm; a judge denied both petitions for insufficient evidence.[1] Local reporting said Baker once lived and worked on his ex-wife's fruit farm in Puna and the pair later had a falling out.[1] Court records show Baker has about 20 prior cases over two decades, mostly traffic infractions that he often represented himself on.[2]
Early alerts described Baker as "armed and extremely dangerous," but the tip-led search that followed led to a peaceful arrest, and investigators say the probe is ongoing.[1]
Show source details & analysis (3 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- Jacob Baker, 36, of Pahoa, was arrested on Thursday, May 28, 2026, without incident, ending a multi-day manhunt after officers — following a tip — found him hiding in a small cave/grassy area beside a roadway and took him into custody in handcuffs (Jacob Baker).
- Autopsy results show that Robert Shine, 69, who was found partially submerged in a cement pond on May 25, 2026, died of strangulation; a 79-year-old man found May 26 had apparent blunt-force injuries and remains unnamed pending positive identification; and John Carse, 69, discovered around 10 p.m. on May 26 at a property about 19 miles away, died from sharp‑force trauma with toxicology still pending (Robert Shine).
- Authorities say they are confident Baker was involved in all three killings but have not disclosed how he was identified as a suspect, what specific evidence ties him to each victim, or any motive or relationship among the victims (authorities).
- In the days before the killings, two women filed temporary restraining orders alleging threats and harassment at a farm — including claims of threats to kill, trespassing, theft and intent to squat — but a judge denied both petitions for insufficient evidence (temporary restraining orders).
- Reports say Baker previously lived and worked on his ex‑wife’s fruit farm in Puna, the pair later had a falling out, and Baker has about 20 prior court cases over the past two decades (mostly traffic infractions in which he often represented himself) (about 20 prior court cases).
- Police continue to say there is no known connection among the three victims beyond two of them living near each other in the same remote Big Island area, and investigators have not publicly identified a motive (the three victims).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
May 29, 2026
10:09 AM
Suspect in killings of 3 elderly men in Hawaii arrested after massive manhunt
New information:
- Article specifies that Jacob Baker, 36, was arrested on Thursday, May 28, 2026, after officers found him hiding in a small cave off a roadway on Hawaii's Big Island.
- Police said they received a tip Thursday afternoon that Baker was hiding in a grassy area by the road, ducking as traffic passed, which led to the focused search and eventual capture.
- Witness Deborah Davis described seeing a female officer chasing a man, then officers emerging from a jungle area with a shirtless Baker in handcuffs, and recounted officers celebrating the arrest.
- Police now say they are confident Baker was involved in all three killings, though they still have not identified a motive or detailed the specific evidence linking him to each victim.
- Autopsy results released by police show that victim Robert Shine, 69, died by strangulation, while victim John Carse, 69, died from sharp-force trauma; the 79-year-old victim had apparent blunt-force injuries, with his name still withheld pending positive identification.
- The article confirms the sequence and timing of discoveries: Shine was found partially submerged in a cement pond on the night of Monday, May 25, 2026; the 79-year-old man was found dead with apparent blunt-force injuries around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26; and Carse was found around 10 p.m. Tuesday at a property about 19 miles away during a welfare check.
- The story adds that Baker has about 20 prior court cases over the past two decades, mostly traffic infractions in which he often represented himself.
- It details that in the days just before the killings two women sought temporary restraining orders against Baker over alleged threats and harassment at a farm, and that a judge denied both requests for insufficient evidence.
- One woman’s TRO petition alleged Baker threatened to kill several women staying on the property and caused some to move or end their stays, and another alleged threats toward women and a disabled man plus trespassing, theft, and intent to squat.
- Police continue to say there is no known connection among the three victims beyond two living near each other in the same remote Big Island area.
1:03 AM
Hawaii police hunt 'armed and extremely dangerous' man suspected in three killings on the Big Island
1:03 AM
Hawaii police arrest 'armed and extremely dangerous' man suspected in three killings on the Big Island
New information:
- On Thursday evening, May 28, 2026, Hawaii police arrested Jacob Baker, 36, of Pahoa, without incident, ending the manhunt.
- Police reaffirmed that Baker is suspected in the deaths of three men whose bodies were found on May 25 and May 26 on the Big Island.
- An autopsy determined 69-year-old Robert Shine, found May 25 partially submerged in a cement pond, died from strangulation.
- A 79-year-old man was found dead on May 26 roughly 400 to 500 feet from Shine; his cause of death has not yet been released.
- An autopsy found that 69-year-old John Carse, discovered about 19 miles away on the evening of May 26, died from sharp-force trauma, with final findings pending toxicology.
- Authorities have not disclosed how Baker was identified as a suspect, what specific evidence links him to the killings, or any possible motive or relationship among the victims.
- The article notes that two women sought temporary restraining orders against Baker days before the killings, alleging threats and harassment at a farm, but a judge denied both requests for insufficient evidence.
- A local resident told the Associated Press that Baker previously lived and worked on his ex-wife's fruit farm in Puna, that they later had a falling out, and that his ex-wife sought a restraining order because she felt threatened.