HILO, Hawaii, May 29 (High Desert News Online) — Hawaiʻi Island police arrested Jacob Daniel Baker, 36, of Pāhoa, Thursday afternoon on suspicion of murder, burglary and other offenses after a manhunt tied to three killings in Puna.
Police said Baker was taken into custody without incident. Before the arrest, authorities had described him as “armed and extremely dangerous” and warned the public not to approach him.
Authorities said Baker was wanted in connection with three homicides during the week of May 28 on Hawaiʻi Island, also known as the Big Island. Three men were found dead Monday and Tuesday in the Puna area, according to police and reports by The Associated Press.
ABC News reported that Baker was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder, first-degree burglary and several other offenses. Police had not identified a motive as of the reports cited in the research brief.
Police said they believed Baker was involved in the deaths of three men: a 69-year-old man found in one location, a 79-year-old man found a few hundred feet away and another 69-year-old man whose body was found about 19 miles away. Fox News identified one of the victims as 69-year-old John Carse, whose body was discovered Tuesday evening.
Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna had said law enforcement was using “significant resources and personnel” to find Baker and that bringing him into custody was the department’s “No. 1 priority,” according to reports by Fox News, The Associated Press and The Independent.
Police said Baker was found hiding in a small cave after authorities received information that he was in a grassy area and was ducking down as traffic passed.
