Hawai‘i Island police have arrested the Hawai’i Community Correctional Center (HCCC) inmate who escaped from the facility on Friday evening, April 21, 2023.

On Saturday afternoon, at 1:04 p.m., 27-year-old Dyllan Kai‘ehu Paulo-Leslie, was taken into custody following an extensive manhunt. He was located on the riverbed of the Wailuku River, in the area behind Hilo High School.

Following his arrest, Paulo-Leslie was taken to the Hilo Medical Center for treatment of injuries he sustained as a result of scaling razor wire while escaping HCCC, and jumping from the roof of the facility. After receiving medical treatment, Paulo-Leslie will be returned to the Hawai’i Community Correctional Center where he has been incarcerated on charges of attempted murder, robbery, and terroristic threatening stemming from an incident that occurred in November 2022. He is being held without bail on those charges.

On Friday evening, at approximately 7:00 p.m., HCCC personnel reported to police that Paulo-Leslie had just escaped from the facility by scaling an exterior fence, and was last seen running down Waianuenue Avenue. South Hilo patrol officers and Area I Criminal Investigation Division personnel immediately began canvassing the area surrounding the jail, as well as the downtown Hilo area, until late Friday night.

On Saturday morning, shortly before 8:00 a.m., an extensive air and ground search resumed after a resident of the Reed’s Island area of Kaiulani Street called police and reported Paulo-Leslie was seen in the area. Review of residential video surveillance also showed Paulo-Leslie attempting to steal two vehicles in the area. Paulo-Leslie now faces charges of first-degree escape and attempted vehicle theft.

The coordinated manhunt for Paulo-Leslie involved the Hawai‘i Police Department, the Hawai‘i Fire Department, the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DLNR DOCARE), the Department of Public Safety Sheriff Division, as well as assistance from the FBI and the United States Marshals Service.

Preliminary reports indicate 27-year-old Paulo-Leslie escaped from inmate housing, scaled the razor wire fence on the Waianuenue Street side of the facility around 7:15 p.m. last night. How he escaped will be part of an internal investigation.     

The Hawai‘i Police Department would also like to thank the many members of the public for their cooperation, and apologize for any inconvenience caused as a result of this manhunt. Information and tips from the community often help to expeditiously and safely bring these types of incidents to a successful conclusion.

Police ask anyone who may have seen or come into contact with Paulo-Leslie during his time on the run to contact Detective Scotty Aloy of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at (808) 961-2381, or email at Scotty.Aloy@hawaiicounty.gov.