Man arrested in hawaii after massive search for suspect in elderly killings

A 36-year-old man suspected of murdering three elderly men on Hawaii's Big Island was arrested on Thursday after a massive search operation that had left residents on edge.

Authorities describe suspect as 'armed and extremely dangerous'

Pahoa resident Jacob Baker was taken into custody by police after a search that involved significant resources from state and federal authorities. They described him as 'armed and extremely dangerous'. The killings took place over two days in a remote and mostly rural part of the island, which is the largest in the Hawaiian chain at over 4,000 square miles.

Autopsies show the first victim, a 69-year-old found partially submerged in a cement pond, was strangled. The 79-year-old man found just a few hundred feet away died from 'sharp force trauma'. The third victim, a 69-year-old, was found about 19 miles away.

Police had been searching for Baker since the bodies were discovered, with Chief Reed Mahuna saying they believed Baker was involved in all three killings, but had yet to identify a motive.

Baker's alleged contentious interactions drew attention from locals, with two women requesting temporary restraining orders against him just days before the killings, citing threats and harassment. However, a judge denied both applications, stating there wasn't enough proof of harassment.

Before the arrest, Puna resident Tiffany Edwards Hunt said many in the community were on edge, with some living in poverty and lacking access to basic services. 'In that remoteness, you have lawlessness,' she said.