A 40-year-old fugitive who was the subject of a multiagency manhunt in upper Puna on Wednesday in a Glenwood subdivision has 40 criminal convictions dating back to 2004, according to court records.
Malani Donald Tavui has felony convictions for auto theft, unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle, a firearms offense, promoting a dangerous drug and terroristic threatening. Tavui also has been convicted of violating both parole and probation.
“He’s still being sought,” said Hawaii Police Department Capt. Rio Amon-Wilkins, who commands the East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Division, on Friday. “He’s wanted for numerous felonies. He’s known to be armed and dangerous, known to be in possession of firearms.”
The department’s Special Response Team, which is HPD’s SWAT unit, along with federal partners — including the FBI SWAT Team and the U.S. Marshal Service — were deployed Wednesday morning to execute what police described as “a high-risk search warrant on a wanted fugitive considered to be armed and dangerous.”
The fugitive turned out to be Tavui, who is currently serving four years of probation for a firearm offense, unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle, and two counts of auto theft.
A police spokeswoman said Tavui was wanted on two Parras warrants, which are issued when police are unable to locate a suspect and need to take additional action.
Amon-Wilkins said the offenses Tavui is wanted for are unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle, first-degree theft, firearms charges, habitual property crime, criminal property damage and traffic offenses.
Four “be on the lookout” all-points bulletins, or BOLOs, had been issued for Tavui, the spokeswoman said.
According to Amon-Wilkins, those bulletins “date back several months.”
“We had an incident with him at Central Pacific Bank (in Hilo) last week,” Amon-Wilkins said. “He was suspected to be in a vehicle, and officers tried to contact him. And he fled the scene, struck several vehicles.”
Amon-Wilkins said the inter-agency operation with the feds required the closure of Malia Aina Road in Glenwood’s Fern Forest subdivision for several hours, and was the result of “some good intel” officers had received.
Although Wednesday’s manhunt didn’t result in Tavui’s apprehension, the SRT and federal partners were close by and available to HPD when officers were dispatched to a vacant Volcano residence allegedly occupied by a squatter who later engaged in an armed standoff with police.
Tavui still continues to be at large, Amon-Wilkins said.
He is described as 5-feet-7-inches tall, 190 pounds, brown eyes and black hair.
Anyone with information on Tavui’s whereabouts is asked to call the police nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311.
Those who prefer anonymity may call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
