A weekend encounter in Kawaihae has been reclassified as a homicide. Hawaiʻi Island police were called to a residence on Kalo‘Olo‘o Drive Saturday at approximately 10:23 p.m., where they found Leah Bannister, 40, of Kurtistown, unresponsive in a vehicle. She had been involved in an altercation with several others before her death.
According to the Hawaiʻi Police Department, after the altercation, Bannister reportedly drove a Nissan SUV toward a minor and an adult male, then collided with another vehicle carrying two children. Heʻenalu Luta, 38, allegedly punched Bannister through the driver-side window, causing her to lose consciousness and later die. Luta was initially arrested on a first-degree assault charge, but was released pending further investigation.
Leah Bannister was taken to Queen's North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital in serious condition but died early Sunday morning. An official autopsy is expected to determine the cause of her death. The Area II Criminal Investigation Section continues to investigate the incident.
The Hawai’i Police Department has not released a mugshot of Luta and urges anyone with information to contact Detective Bradley Llanes at [email protected] or the non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
