After investigations at the HPP, human remains were recovered in Orchidland

Police said Friday they had found human remains in Keaau “believed to be related to an ongoing missing person investigation involving a 37-year-old woman from Puna.”

The body, which police said was in “advanced stages of decomposition,” was found on a vacant lot in the 16-200 block of 36th Avenue in the Orchidland Estates neighborhood.

Police secured the crime scene on 36th Avenue overnight and recovered the human remains around 9:40 a.m. Friday morning.

The information that led to the discovery of the remains was obtained Thursday during an investigation at a residence in the 15-2000 block of 15th Avenue in the Hawaiian Paradise Park neighborhood, where police officers executed a search warrant and found the body of a man who is believed to have shot himself.

A firearm was seized in the HPP building.

The report number, which was the same in two Police Department press releases – one about the search on 15th Avenue and the other about the body found on 36th Avenue – matches an earlier press release seeking information on Ashley Kuregian, who was last seen alive on May 14. Kuregian’s age was given as 38 in the earlier press release.

The HPP residence is also reportedly the last place where Kuregian was seen alive.

Police are not releasing the man’s identity until he is positively identified and next of kin have been notified. They said an autopsy on his body will be performed next week.

An autopsy of the woman’s remains was performed this afternoon. The medical examiner has not released the cause and manner of death pending the completion of further forensic examinations and tests.

Police were unable to identify the woman’s body as that of Kuregian and said the identity of the deceased was being kept “confidential until positive identification and notification of next of kin.”

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the police non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to protect their community. Crime Stoppers does not record calls or subscribe to a caller ID service. All information provided by Crime Stoppers is kept confidential.

Email John Burnett at [email protected].