Hawai‘i Island police have initiated a homicide investigation following the discovery of a 71-year-old woman found dead in her Hawaiian Acres home late last week. The victim has been identified as Yong Cha Kim of Mountain View.

Detectives believe the homicide occurred sometime between the evening of Tuesday, June 18, and Thursday, June 20, 2024.

Around 3:14 p.m. on the afternoon of June 20, Puna patrol officers responded to a residence in the 16-1100 block of Uhini Ana Road in Mountain View after an elderly man found his wife laying unresponsive on the floor within their residence. Responding officers observed that Kim had sustained several suspicious injuries and that items within the residence appeared to be disturbed. It was also reported that several items were stolen from the residence.

Hawai‘i Fire Department medics also responded and upon conducting a check on Kim, determined she had no signs of life. Kim was transported to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 6:54 p.m.

On Friday morning, June 30, a forensic pathologist performed an autopsy on the victim and determined that the cause of death was strangulation and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives are continuing this investigation, which is now classified as second-degree murder.

Police ask anyone who may have information relative to this case to call Detective Amy Omaya, of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section, at (808) 961-2381, or email at amy.omaya@hawaiicounty.gov. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the department’s Crime Stoppers hotline at (808) 961-8300.