Overview
- Three elderly men were found dead at separate residences in the rural Puna district and two autopsies showed different causes of death, with one ruled strangulation and another sharp‑force trauma.
- Police arrested 36‑year‑old Jacob Daniel Baker after a multiagency manhunt that found him hiding in a small cave in Kalapana following surveillance tips and witness reports.
- Prosecutors have charged Baker with one count of first‑degree murder, multiple counts of second‑degree murder and several property crimes, and he is being held without bond while the case proceeds.
- Investigators have not disclosed a motive or fully detailed how evidence ties Baker to each scene, and authorities say the criminal probe and pretrial work are ongoing.
- Neighbors and court records show recent safety complaints against Baker, including two denied temporary restraining orders, and residents say Puna’s remote, off‑grid landscape can complicate policing and heighten community concern.