Two men from Pāʻuilo are facing serious felony charges after a 37-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the head arrived at North Hawaii Community Hospital seeking treatment, authorities said. Investigators say the shooting happened Thursday evening on a property in Pāʻuilo, sparking search warrants that turned up a loaded .22-caliber firearm and several spent .22-caliber shell casings. One of the men is now charged with second-degree attempted murder and multiple weapons offenses, while the other is accused of criminal solicitation.
According to Hawaii Police Department, South Kohala patrol officers were alerted Friday morning when the victim showed up at the hospital and reported that he had been shot the night before. Detectives arrested 44-year-old Kawika Souza on Sunday and 60-year-old Gary Dias-Souza on Monday. After conferring with prosecutors, officials charged Souza with second-degree attempted murder, carrying or use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, and two counts of ownership or possession of a firearm and ammunition prohibited, with total bail set at $1,640,000. Dias-Souza was charged with criminal solicitation, with bail set at $100,000.
Evidence Recovered
Hawaii News Now reports that detectives executed search warrants and seized a loaded .22-caliber firearm, unspent .22-caliber ammunition, several spent .22-caliber shell casings and additional evidence tied to the case. The outlet notes that its timeline of events matches police accounts that the victim went to the hospital the morning after the shooting.
Court Dates And Tips
Both men are scheduled to make initial appearances in Hilo District Court on Tuesday, according to Big Island Now. Police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Jayce Carvalho of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2378 or by email at [email protected], and tipsters who want to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
Legal Context
Under Hawaii law, attempted second-degree murder is classified as a serious felony and can expose a defendant to a life term, depending on sentencing decisions and any enhancements. The state’s sentencing rules for murder and attempted murder are set out in the Hawaii Revised Statutes, and the statutes and related case law allow prosecutors and judges to seek extended terms in aggravated cases, making the charges in this case potentially severe if there is a conviction, per the Hawaii Revised Statutes.
What's Next
Prosecutors are expected to move the case into arraignment and pretrial proceedings following the defendants’ initial court appearances, and detectives say the investigation remains active. As first reported by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, police are asking anyone with video or additional information to reach out to Detective Carvalho or contact Crime Stoppers.
