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HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
From left, Joey Ikaika Camacho, Shaun Candaroma, Pomaikai Martin and Latoya Poepoe-Spalding. The four suspects allegedly assisted fugitive Justin Waiki before he was gunned down by police in a shootout in Kau Friday. Three were in police custody this morning.
Three people suspected of aiding fugitive Justin Waiki before he was gunned down by Hawaii island police in a shootout Friday were in police custody this morning.
The Hawaii Police Department had initially reported that officers arrested four people today.
Capt. Randall Medeiros of the Criminal Investigations Division Area I clarified police arrested three suspects — Joey I. Camacho, 31, of no known address, Pomaikai Martin, 26, of King’s Landing and Latoya Poepoe-Spalding, 27, also of King’s Landing — on outstanding bench warrants.
Camacho turned himself in at the Hilo police station sometime before 4 a.m. Police arrested Martin and Poepoe-Spalding at about 6:25 a.m. after officers obtained information about their whereabouts. They had been spotted together in a vehicle on Hilo Bayfront Highway.
Medeiros described the three suspects as “associates” of Waiki, however, they have not been arrested for hindering prosecution at this time.
A fourth suspect, Shaun Candaroma, 47, of Hilo met with detectives at the Hilo police station at about 7:15 a.m. He was not taken into custody.
Medeiros said the hindering prosecution investigation is still in its early stage as police have to interview more witnesses and potential suspects. “There’s a lot of people we need to talk to,” he said.
He declined to say how many potential suspects detectives are investigating at this time.
Medeiros stressed police want to speak to anyone who had contact with Waiki or knows of any individuals who had contact with Waiki, specifically from the night of July 17 when Waiki fled from police after he allegedly gunned down police officer Bronson K. Kaliloa in Mountain View at about 9:47 p.m. to July 20 when police fatally shot Waiki in a shootout at a roadblock in Kau at about 2:45 p.m.
Anyone with information is asked to call detective William Brown of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 808-961-2384 or email him at william.brown@hawaiicounty.gov.
Police sought the public’s help Monday in locating Camacho, Candaroma, Martin and Poepoe-Spalding.
Waiki, 33, gunned down Kaliloa, 46, during a traffic stop Tuesday night at Highway 11. Waiki fled on foot into nearby brush, setting off a three-day island-wide manhunt.
Acting on a tip on Waiki’s whereabouts, officers of the police department’s Special Response Team responded to South Point Road Friday afternoon.
Officers stopped a 2011 silver Toyota 4Runner SUV with Malia K. Lajala and Krystle L. Ferreira in the passenger seats and Jorge A. Pagan-Torres in the driver’s seat.
One of the officers approached the rear of the vehicle and opened the hatch when Waiki, who was hiding underneath a blanket and other items, shot the officer multiple times. Other officers returned fire and killed Waiki.
A 35-year-old woman, Jamie Jason, who hid underneath the blanket with Waiki, sustained leg injuries in the gunfire and was transported to Hilo Medical Center.
The injured police officer, Sgt. Bryan Tina, sustained gunshot wounds to his right torso, right arm and right hand. He was also transported to the hospital for treatment and released Sunday night.
Two weeks ago, police arrested Jason in a separate incident in Kamuela. Vice and special enforcement unit officers executed a search warrant at a home off of Puu Pohu Place on July 11 where they recovered 51 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine, nine grams of marijuana, a digital scale, empty zip packets and a loaded .40-caliber pistol.
Police arrested four people in the drug raid including Jason who was arrested on suspicion of promotion of a dangerous drug in the third-degree. She was released pending further investigation.
On Monday, Lajala, Ferreira and Pagan-Torres made their initial court appearance at Kona District Court after prosecutors charged them as accomplices to Waiki. All three were charged with first-degree hindering prosecution, criminal conspiracy, complicity to attempted first-degree murder and illegal firearm possession.
Both Lajala and Ferreira were also charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug.
They were scheduled to appear in court today for a preliminary hearing and bail hearing.
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