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A 24-year-old man and a male juvenile were being held by authorities in the killing of a Maui artist.
Maui police arrested Healohaomakanaamekai Akahi Pua Saturday in the death of Michael Colby, a 39-year-old artist described by friends as an “amazing painter.”
Pua, charged with second-degree murder, was being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
On Friday, a 16-year-old male was arrested by Maui police in connection with Colby’s death and turned over to the Sheriff’s Department, Maui police said.
Colby moved from Encinatas, Calif., to Maui about five years ago and enjoyed working outdoors and going to places like Kanaha Beach to paint.
A beachgoer discovered his body on March 18 in the area of Ka‘a Point, just west of Kanaha Beach.
“He was an excellent painter. He did amazing paintings,” said David Ryan, a friend who had known him for 20 years.
Ryan said Colby also was a wood worker.
Allison Prediger, another friend, said Colby was “super sociable,” enjoyed making people laugh, and devoted to his art enough that he carried brushes and paints with him.
“He always had a backpack. His job was painting,” she said. “Mike was known to head to the beach and just sit and paint.”
Prediger described the area at Ka‘a Point and Kanaha Beach Park as full of families and windsurfers during the day but not regarded as a safe place to hang out at night.
Ryan said a blue pickup truck owned by Colby was found nearby, with major damage to it, including shattered windows.
He said Colby did a painting of the Paia Youth Center on a skateboard and donated it to the youth center.
“It’s hanging up at the youth center,” he said.
He said his death has touched those who work at the center.
Colby’s friends raised money to hold memorial tributes to Colby on Maui and in Encinitas.
His memorial fund is at mauimikecolby.causevox.com.
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