Elderly woman found strangled in Puna home; Hawaii police investigate: Big Island Now

Hawaii Island Police are investigating a murder after an elderly woman was found strangled in her Puna home.

On June 20 at approximately 3:14 p.m., Puna Patrol Officers responded to a residence in the 16-1100 block of Uhini Ana Road in Mountain View after an elderly man found his 71-year-old wife lying unconscious on the floor of their home. Officers observed that the victim, Yong Cha Kim of Mountain View, had sustained several suspicious injuries and that items in the home appeared to have been disarranged.

It was also reported that several items were stolen from the apartment.

Investigators believe the murder occurred sometime between the evening of June 18 and 20.

Paramedics from the Hawaii Fire Department also arrived on scene and examined Kim and found that she was no longer showing any signs of life. Kim was taken to Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 6:54 p.m.

On Friday morning, a medical examiner performed an autopsy on the victim and determined that the cause of death was strangulation and the manner of death was ruled homicide.

Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department of Area I are continuing this investigation, which is now classified as a premeditated murder.

Police are asking anyone with information about this case to call Detective Amy Omaya of the Area I Criminal Investigation Division at 808-961-2381 or email [email protected]. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the department’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 808-961-8300.