Opihi picker’s remains likely found

Big Island fire rescue divers found human remains yesterday morning believed to be those of a 41-year-old Hilo man who failed to return home after picking opihi Tuesday, police said.

The remains were recovered at 8:30, a mile north of Papai Bay in an area fronting Kings Landing. The remains have not yet been positively identified, police said. Fire scuba divers found the remains in 25 feet of water just offshore.

Joseph Pacheco Jr. left his home at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. Fire, Coast Guard and police started searching for him later that day.

Pacheco’s dog and backpack were found Tuesday a mile south of Shipman Estates Beach.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police nonemergency number at 935-3311 or CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.

Big Isle man charged with 6 counts

Big Island authorities charged a 24-year-old Kailua-Kona man yesterday with six offenses in connection with a robbery Wednesday at a vacation rental home in Kailua-Kona.

Prosecutors charged Zackariah Weimer with second-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, third-degree assault, third-degree theft, theft of a credit card and unauthorized entry into a dwelling.

Weimer allegedly entered the vacation rental home earlier on the same day as the robbery and also allegedly entered a vacant apartment on Alii Drive hours before the robbery, police said.

His bail was set at $74,000.

Officers capture parole violator

The U.S. Marshals Service and state and local law enforcement officers have captured a fugitive parolee in Honolulu.

Allan Abihai was arrested yesterday without incident at a home near 10th and Waialae avenues. Deputy U.S. Marshal Donna Diaz said yesterday that he is ineligible for bail.

The 47-year-old Abihai was convicted in April 1985 for rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder. He was serving a life sentence when he won parole in September.

Diaz said state Sheriff’s deputies and Honolulu police officers began looking for him in December for violating his parole. Marshals joined the hunt two weeks ago after they began investigating him for possibly violating federal firearm laws.