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Hawaii News

Shooting suspect also ID’d in robbery

Rosemarie Bernardo

A 24-year-old Anahola man recently charged in connection with a fatal shooting was allegedly involved in a robbery of the same victim four months ago.

Vicente "Vinnie" Hilario was charged Monday with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Aureo Arick Moore, 34, of Kapaa. Bail for Hilario was set at $100,000.

According to a court document, police arrested Hilario in August in connection with a robbery the same month. Moore and two witnesses identified Hilario as the driver of a getaway car for a man who robbed Moore at gunpoint at Kauai Village.

Moore was shot multiple times near Anahola Beach Park at about 11 a.m. last Friday. In the court document, a witness who was jogging near the park said he saw Moore running from a man.

The man fired multiple gunshots and Moore fell to the ground. The gunman then stood over him and fired additional shots at close range before he fled, the document said.

Carl Ragasa, a lifeguard at Anahola Beach Park, scanned the area with binoculars after gunshots were heard. At that time, he saw two males running up Anahola Road.

Ragasa reported he saw two cars slowing down in the area. He told authorities he believes the shots came from the occupants of a vehicle.

Ragasa approached and found Moore lying on the ground with several gunshot wounds to the back of his head and back. He applied pressure to Moore’s wounds to try to stop the bleeding until paramedics arrived. Moore was taken to Wilcox Hospital, where he died.

Kai Wedemeyer, a lifeguard working with Ragasa that day, said he saw with binoculars two suspects standing near Moore, who was lying on the ground when the shots rang out. He then saw two suspects run south on Anahola Road.

Police caught two suspects after the shooting. One of them was released.

Hilario, also known as Vicente Kotekapika Hilario, has a criminal record that includes criminal contempt and disorderly conduct.

CORRECTION: Prosecutors charged Vicente "Vinnie" Hilario with first-degree murder involving the shooting death of Aureo Arick Moore. Prosecutors allege the fatal shooting was related to Moore’s status as a witness against Hilario and another man involving a robbery case. Prosecutors had amended their complaint to add the first-degree murder charge. A previous version of this story that ran on Friday reported Hilario was charged with second-degree murder.

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