Hawai‘i Island police arrested and charged a 32-year-old Hilo man with two counts of assault following an incident which allegedly took place between late Tuesday evening, May 28, 2024, and early Wednesday morning, May 29, 2024, in the area of the 300 block of Manono Street, in Hilo. 

On May 29, 2024, at about 8:27 a.m., South Hilo patrol officers responded to a parking lot in the area of the 300 block of Manono Street, in Hilo, for a report of a female party who discovered the severely-beaten body of a 62-year-old Hilo man who was laying in the back of his van.

Responding officers found the victim to have both eyes swollen shut, his forehead to be swollen, and a large laceration on the bridge of his nose. Hawai‘i Fire Department medics transported the victim to the Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room for treatment.  While interviewing the victim, he was able to positively identify the suspect as 32-year-old Wallace Manuarii Tahutini, of Hilo, as the person who assaulted him.

Officers familiar with Tahutini canvassed the downtown Hilo area where Tahutini is known to frequent and located him in a County parking lot in the area of the Kamehameha Avenue and Pauahi Street intersection. Tahutini was arrested for assault, without incident and was transported to the Hawai’i Police Department East Hawai’i Detention Center for booking, processing, and continued investigation by Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives.

As they continued the investigation, detectives learned the victim had sustained both substantial and serious bodily injuries to various areas of his body, to include the head, face, shoulder, and upper arm. He remains hospitalized in stable condition.

After conferring with the County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, May 30, 2024, detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section charged Tahutini with the following offenses:

• First-degree assault (two counts)
• Second-degree assault

Tahutini’s bail was set at $120,000.00

Tahutini remains in custody at the Hawai‘i Police Department East Hawai’i Detention Center pending his initial court appearance scheduled for Friday afternoon, May 31, 2024.

Police ask that anyone with information regarding this incident to please contact Detective David Poohina at (808) 961-2385, or via email at david.poohina@hawaiicounty.gov or the department’s non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call the islandwide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.