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Paroled murderer held in Hilo shooting

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HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT

John Perez of Hilo

Hawaii island authorities today charged a 43-year-old parolee in connection with an early-morning shooting in Hilo last month.

John Perez of Hilo was arrested Tuesday and charged today with attempted second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, ownership and possession prohibited and firearm on highway. His bail was set at $350,000.

He remains at the Hilo police cellblock pending his initial District Court appearance Friday in Hilo.

Perez was paroled Dec. 18. He was serving a life sentence for the Aug. 27, 1991, beating and strangulation death of Juliana “Trish” Laysa, a 23-year-old prostitute whose body was found two days later in a cane field above Alae Cemetery in Hilo.

Another suspect in the Honolii lookout shooting, Scottie I.K. Yanagawa, 29, of Hilo, was killed in a Feb. 9 shootout with police in the Hilo Wal-Mart parking lot.

Police continue to seek individuals who may have witnessed the shooting in the Honolii lookout area shortly before 4:35 a.m. on Jan. 31.

Witnesses or persons with any information about this case are asked to contact Detective Clarence Davies at 961-2383 or clarence.davies@hawaiicounty.gov, or Detective Todd Pataray at 961-2382 or todd.pataray@hawaiicounty.go

11 responses to “Paroled murderer held in Hilo shooting”

  1. DiverDave says:

    Just another example of the ridiculous penal system here in Hawaii. He was originally sentenced to life for murder. Now the penal system once again has blood on its hands. Will they ever get it? Aren’t they supposed to be protecting the public?

  2. Senior_Researcher says:

    Oh, but it’s OK, the victim in the first case was a prostitute, as if that has anything top do with anything!

    Seriously, last time I checked, murder is murder, regardless of the victim’s occupation. Perhaps it would be relevant if the story was about that offense, how it was committed, the defense that was mounted, etc. Here, the label was totally irrelevant, and served only to rub salt in the wound of surviving family and friends.

    Next time a Star-Advertiser reporter shows up dead I guess we’ll just say “John Doe, 53, two-bit writer for a yellow rag.”

  3. ryan02 says:

    That’s Hawaii, folks! Remember Abraham Fu? “Boy” Carvalho? Both served less than 10 years in prison for their crimes against women. What did Fu do? Killed his girlfriend by shooting her point-blank in the face. Carvalho? Killed his wife by breaking every bone in her body. Lucky you live Hawaii — if you’re a violent criminal, that is; but if you’re a woman . . . maybe living here is Darwinism?

  4. Willieboy says:

    how da hell can you parole somebody serving one life sentence for killing someone???? I no get it!!

  5. lee1957 says:

    And the names of the yes votes on the parole board are?

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