HONOLULU — In a shocking development, a 36-year-old man in Hawaii has been formally charged with murder after three individuals were killed in a secluded community that embraces a unique and communal way of life.
The Hawaii Police Department announced that Jacob Daniel Baker faces charges of first- and second-degree murder as of Saturday, according to their official statement.
Currently held without bail, Baker is set to appear in court on Monday. At this time, it’s unclear whether he has legal representation to speak on his behalf.
The charges were filed two days post-arrest, following a manhunt on Hawaii’s Big Island. The victims were discovered in the Puna area, a region known for its lush scenery and the laid-back lifestyle of its residents.
Authorities reported that 69-year-old Robert Shine was found deceased on Monday, partially submerged in a cement pond. A second victim, identified by friends as 79-year-old Chitta Morse, was found on Tuesday just a few hundred feet from Shine’s location.
The third victim, identified as 69-year-old John Carse, was discovered later on Tuesday, approximately 19 miles (31 kilometers) from where the other two victims were located.
Police have not given a suspected motive for the killings. Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna has said investigators found no connections among the victims other than that two of them lived near each other.
In addition to the murder charges, Baker also faces counts of burglary, auto theft and criminal damage to property.
The killings left residents on edge in Puna, a community set amid lush jungle and barren lava fields where people seeking to live off-grid commonly trade work for lodging.
Puna resident Stephen Shaffer said that Baker had worked for his ex-wife, climbing coconut trees on land where she grows fruit, in exchange for a place to live. After several months, Shaffer said, his ex-wife sought a restraining order against Baker, saying she felt threatened by him.
Donald Hyatt, a friend of Shaffer’s ex-wife and of two of the men killed, said Baker left the cabin where he had been living months ago. Hyatt said that Baker recently returned claiming “squatter’s rights” and threatened Shaffer’s ex.
Just days before the killings, two women had requested temporary restraining orders against Baker, saying he had threatened and harassed them, according to court records. A judge denied both applications, saying there was not enough proof of harassment.
Court records showed Baker named in 20 other cases in the past two decades, many of them traffic infractions. In most of those cases, Baker had no attorney and represented himself.
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