Hawaii Island police detectives have charged 30-year-old Keoni Peter Tosie Brown of Hilo following the fatal stabbing Saturday morning of an 81-year-old woman in Hilo on the 200 block of Olu Street.
On Sunday, East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Section detectives charged Brown with second-degree murder and first-degree terroristic threatening.
His bail was set at $2.02 million. Brown remains in police custody pending his initial court appearance Monday in Hilo District Court.
The charges stem from an incident reported Saturday at 7:22 a.m., when Hilo patrol officers responded to an unresponsive elderly woman who had been stabbed in the face in front of her Olu Street home.
Responding officers found the 81-year-old woman lying in her driveway with multiple stab wounds to her face. The suspect, later identified as Brown, was located on his property adjoining the victim’s property. Officers spotted him hiding along the property fence line attempting to flee, police said.
Brown was subsequently taken into custody without incident and taken to the Hilo Police Station, pending investigation.
Hawaii Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and determined the victim to be beyond live-saving measures.
A witness reportedly told police that Brown stabbed the woman multiple times then threatened her with the knife before retreating to his property.
The victim was transported to Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where she was officially pronounced dead at 9:57 a.m.
Her identity is being withheld pending positive identification and official notification to next of kin.
An autopsy will be performed early this week to determine the exact cause of death.
Potential witnesses are asked to contact Detective Duane Rapoza Jr. at (808) 961-2383, or at Duane.Rapoza@hawaiicounty.gov.