In brief
Police charged Baker with first‑ and second‑degree murder after the bodies of senior men were found over a two‑day span in Puna. No motive has been identified, though prior restraining‑order filings may link the suspect to the victims.
HONOLULU — Police in Hawaii have charged 36‑year‑old Jacob Daniel Baker with first‑ and second‑degree murder after three older men were found dead in the remote Puna community on the Big Island. Baker is jailed without bond and will face his first court appearance on Monday.Baker also faces counts of burglary, auto theft, and criminal damage to property. Authorities say there are no connections among the victims other than that two of them lived near each other.The victims, all in their late 60s and 70s, were found over a two‑day period in a lush jungle‑filled, lava‑scoured area known for off‑grid living. Robert Shine, 69, was partially submerged in a cement pond on Monday; Chitta Morse, 79, was found a few hundred feet away on Tuesday. 19 miles (31 km) away, 69‑year‑old John Carse was discovered on Tuesday.Investigators have not identified a clear motive, but Baker’s history of restraining‑order filings could explain his connection to the victims. In the months leading up to the killings, Baker had worked for an ex‑wife in exchange for lodging; she later sought a restraining order, claiming he threatened her. Two other women had previously filed temporary restraining orders against Baker, which were denied by a judge.The killings have left the Puna community uneasy, long used to off‑grid trade‑for‑shelter living. Baker’s recent return and claims of “squatter’s rights” have heightened local fears. Over the past twenty years, he has been named in 20 cases, mostly traffic infractions, and many were self‑represented.Authorities continue their inquiry, with surveillance footage confirming Baker’s movements before the deaths. The case illustrates the growing tensions in small, isolated communities where disputes can quickly become fatal.
