An Illinois man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a body found in downtown Hilo early this morning, police said.
An Illinois man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a body found in downtown Hilo early this morning, police said.
At 12:57 a.m., officers responded to the Koehnen’s Building on Kamehameha Avenue for a report of an unresponsive woman with injuries.
Responding officers found a deceased woman with obvious signs of foul play, police said. Upon conducting an investigation, which included the review of video footage of the area, police developed a suspect.
At 11 a.m., 35-year-old Curtis Hodges of Shiloh, Ill., was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder at a hostel located off Waianuenue Avenue in Hilo.
The identity of the victim is still pending fingerprint analysis. Capt. Robert Wagner of the Hilo Criminal Investigations section said the woman appeared to be between 40 and 55 years old and was likely homeless.
Detectives continue to investigate.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police non-emergency line at 935-3311 or contact Detective Almeida at 961-2386 or Robert.almeida@hawaiicounty.gov. Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.