Kona man dies from domestic altercation injuries

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A 20-year-old Kona man has died from injuries he received in a domestic dispute on June 21.

A 20-year-old Kona man has died from injuries he received in a domestic dispute on June 21.

Ezra Barro of Kailua-Kona was pronounced dead at 4:44 a.m. June 28 at Kaiser Medical Center in Honolulu.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s office will conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

The case will be reclassified from a first-degree assault to a manslaughter case and Kona police detectives are continuing to investigate.

Police say officers were at Kona Community Hospital for an unrelated case when Barro arrived in a private vehicle and was taken to the emergency room with a laceration to his left forearm. Investigation revealed that he had received the injury during a domestic altercation at a home on Awakea Street in Kailua-Kona.

Shortly after midnight, officers arrested 18-year-old Synise Santos of Kailua-Kona at the scene on suspicion of first-degree assault and domestic abuse.

Barro was later transferred to Kaiser in critical condition.

On June 23, detectives released Santos pending further investigation.

Detectives have initiated a second abuse investigation with Santos as the victim, police said.