KAILUA-KONA — Four additional people were charged in connection with assisting a man who evaded capture for three days after reportedly killing a Hawaii Police Department officer last month.
Three people initially arrested in the case were Malia Lajala, Jorge Allen Pagan-Torres and Krystle Ferreira after a shooting incident July 20 on South Point Road, which resulted in the death of Justin Waiki, who was accused of shooting and killing Officer Bronson Kaliloa on July 17 in Mountain View.
A sealed indictment filed Aug. 14 in Circuit Court was unsealed Tuesday, revealing Lajala, Pagan-Torres and Ferreira were indicted on charges connected with aiding the fugitive. The indictment included four additional names: Jamie Jason, Kyle Brende, Taumi Carr and Mokihana Veincent.
The additional defendants face charges of first-degree hindering prosecution and conspiracy in connection with assisting Waiki.
According to the indictment, Jason, Brende, Carr and Veincent assisted from July 17-20 “as a principle and/or accomplice with the intent to hinder the apprehension, prosecution, conviction and/or punishment” of Waiki.
Bench warrants were issued Aug. 15 for the four individuals. Carr was arrested Monday, Brende is not yet custody and it is unknown if Jason and Veincent are in custody.
Veincent also is charged with conspiracy to commit ownership or possession prohibited since she knew Waiki was a fugitive from justice and in possession of a firearm intending to use it, the indictment indicates. She’s also charged with accomplice to ownership or possession prohibited.
Her bail was set at $500,000. Bail for Brende and Carr also was set at $500,000.
Jason faces additional charges of first-degree attempted murder, accomplice to not having a case or place to keep a revolver and conspiracy to commit ownership or possession prohibited. Her bail is set at $1 million.
The search for Waiki was islandwide. It was highly publicized locally and statewide. Hawaii Police Department didn’t get a break in the case until a few days after the shooting, when the department received a tip that the 33-year-old might be in the South Point area.
Police set up checkpoints on South Point Road and were searching vehicles. Lajala, Pagan-Torres and Ferreira were traveling in a Toyota 4Runner in the area at the time. Waiki and Jason were stowed away in the back when the vehicle was stopped by police.
According to authorities, Waiki opened fire on police when an officer opened the back hatch. Police returned fire, killing the 33-year-old. Jason also suffered a gunshot injury to the leg.
The South Point Road shooting also resulted in the injury of Sgt. Bryan Tina, who has since been recovering from the incident.
Pagan-Torres, Lajala and Ferreira have been charged with one count each of accomplice to first-degree attempted murder, first-degree hindering prosecution, accomplice to not having a case or place to keep a revolver and criminal conspiracy for allegedly aiding in the days after the fatal shooting in Puna.
Lajala also faces a third-degree drug promotion charge when she was found in possession of heroin, according to the indictment.
Pagan-Torres, Lajala and Ferreira appeared in District Court on July 23 for a preliminary hearing, which was continued due to time constraints as the courthouse was closing.
Bail for Pagan-Torres, Lajala and Ferreira has been set at $1 million.
Email Tiffany DeMasters at tdemasters@westhawaiitoday.com.
