Police: Fatal overdose in Hilo jail possibly linked to Kona couple

Police are investigating the link between an overdose death at Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo and the arrest last week of a Kona couple on fentanyl charges.

Hilo patrol officers responded Thursday at 1 p.m. to HCCC for a report of two male inmates who were found unresponsive in a cell, police said today in a statement.

The men were transported to Hilo Medical Center, where one of them, a 56-year-old man from Pahoa, was pronounced dead at 1:34 p.m. His name was being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.

Detectives have launched a coroner’s inquest investigation into the man’s death.

The other inmate, 33-year-old Hilo man, is expected to make a full recovery and was released to the custody of the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Officers allegedly located a white powdery substance resembling fentanyl in the cell occupied by the two inmates. In the course of the investigation, police determined that a third inmate had been in the same cell shortly before the overdoses occurred.

The third inmate, 41-year-old Izaiah Shields of Kona, and his girlfriend, 37-year-old Moriah Goulette, also of Kona, were arrested Dec. 29 after being intercepted at the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport upon arriving from San Francisco.

After executing a search warrant on Goulette’s belongings, detectives recovered 4.7 grams of fentanyl and arrested Goulette at the airport.

The two were taken to Kona Community Hospital, where they were both X-rayed, resulting in the discovery of 64.5 grams of packaged fentanyl concealed within Shield’s body, which he removed of his own accord, according to police.

The arrest of Shields and Goulette was part of a monthlong joint investigation between Homeland Security and HPD.

On Dec. 30, Goulette was charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, and Shields was charged with first-degree and second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug with bail set at $10,000 and $75,000, respectively.

They remained in Kona cellblock until their initial court appearance on Tuesday. At that time, bail was maintained for both, and they were transferred to HCCC.

Shields on Thursday morning was taken to his initial court appearance in Kona. While he was out of the facility, the overdose involving his two cellmates occurred and evidence was recovered, including a white powdery substance suspected to be fentanyl, as well as packaging consistent with the suspected fentanyl recovered from Shields on Dec. 29.

Following the overdose incident, HCCC personnel searched Goulette, which resulted in the recovery of a clear zip-type packet from her mouth, police said. The packet contained a white powdery substance.

Goulette was arrested Thursday for suspicion of first-degree promoting prison contraband and remains in the Hilo cellblock pending issuance and execution of a body-search warrant.

Shields was returned to HCCC, where he also was arrested for suspicion of first-degree promoting prison contraband. He remains in the Hilo cellblock.

Detectives are continuing the investigation in collaboration with Homeland Security.

“This case highlights the lengths to which people will go in order to conceal drugs and other contraband,” said Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz in a statement. “As this investigation continues, together with our federal partners, we will not stop our pursuit of those who import and distribute drugs in our communities. They must be held accountable.”