The quiet of an early Hilo morning was shattered by gunfire on Wednesday, leaving a local man dead, police have confirmed. The victim, identified as 36-year-old Brandon Shane Kalani Castillias of Hilo, was named in a statement by the Hawaii Police Department. An autopsy conducted on Friday, determined that Castillias' death was a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
In the wake of the gunshot that pierced the early dawn, South Hilo patrol officers were summoned to the 1600 block of Maunakai Street at approximately 5:00 a.m. A woman, startled by the discord of the gunshot close to her home, reached out to the authorities, her call alerting police dispatch to the need for both police and an ambulance. When officers and Hawai‘i Fire Department personnel arrived on the scene, Castillias was found, appearing lifeless, with a wound marking his torso, lying on the roadfronting the residence where the disturbance was heard.
Despite paramedics' efforts to defy the grip of death, their attempt to resuscitate Castillias proved futile. He was swiftly transported to Hilo Medical Center, where his death was officially noted at 9:39 a.m. In the ensuing investigation, categorized as second-degree murder, detectives executed search warrants at the residence and on a vehicle that was found in the residence's driveway. As of now, no suspects have been identified and the police haven't determined a clear motive, the investigation continues.
Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives are urging the public for any information regarding the incident. "Police ask anyone who may have been in the area on Maunakai Street shortly before 5:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, or whom may have information about this incident, to contact Detective Amy Omaya," as per the official release. Detective Omaya can be reached at (808) 961-2381 or through email at [email protected]. For those wishing to stay anonymous, Crime Stoppers is an option at (808) 961-8300, where tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. They emphasize that all information provided to Crime Stoppers is kept confidential and that the service does not record calls or subscribe to any Caller ID services.
