Murder suspect arrested in Las Vegas
A 54-year-old Hawaii island fugitive wanted in a cold-case murder investigation was arrested Monday by U.S. marshals in Las Vegas, Hawaii County police said.
Patricia Wong, who is wanted for a 2009 shooting death in Puna, was arrested without incident after a grand jury issued an indictment Wednesday, said Lt. Greg Esteban, Hawaii County police spokesman. Hawaii County authorities received tips that she was not in Hawaii, and on Friday, after an arrest warrant was issued, police contacted the U.S. Marshals Service in Las Vegas.
The indictment stems from the 2009 death of Kaycee M. Smith, who was found in her Orchidland residence with an apparent gunshot wound. Authorities haven’t said what led to the killing at Smith’s home, but a police report said the crime scene had been altered to make the death appear to have been a suicide.
Her death was ruled a homicide.
On Friday police issued a CrimeStoppers bulletin seeking information on Wong, who also is known as Patricia Hanoa. She is from Mountain View.
Wong was being held at the Clark County jail in Las Vegas pending a court extradition hearing.
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