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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 11:58 a.m., Wednesday, April 16, 2003

Police Beat

Advertiser Staff

Kona man faces murder charges

A 28-year-old Kona man was scheduled to be arraigned today in Hilo on second-degree murder charges in connection with the beating death of Michael Rhett Hackmeyer.

Hackmeyer's body was found Thursday on Makalawena Beach Road.

Casey Eason was charged early this morning. His bail is $250,000.

An autopsy found Hackmeyer died from severe head injuries and police said an "instrument" was used in the beating. Hackmeyer and Eason were acquainted, police said.


Shed fire lowers students' spirits

The destruction by fire of a storage shed at Roosevelt High School was disheartening to the students of the school's industrial arts program.

The shed was destroyed in a 3 a.m. fire Sunday that investigators determined was deliberately set. Students had spent three years constructing the shed and seeing the gutted remains was "devastating" for them, said police Detective Robert Cravalho.

Cravalho said the shed was a work in progress and did not have a door. About $5,000 worth of materials, including lumber for a table-construction project, was lost in the fire, he said.

The Fire Department estimated damage to the structure at $40,000.

Vandals also wrote graffiti on the walls of two buildings, said Cravalho.

Anyone with information about the case can call Cravalho at 529-3873 or CrimeStoppers at 955-8300 (*CRIME on a cellular phone).


Kohala school computers stolen

Big Island police are investigating the theft of three Dell computers taken Sunday from Kohala High School's industrial arts workshop.

The burglary occurred sometime after 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The computers were discovered missing at 7:15 a.m. Monday, police said. The computers are worth more than $7,900.


Officer says man brandished gun

A 38-year-old Kalihi Valley man was arrested at 2:35 p.m. yesterday on suspicion of pointing a loaded pistol at an off-duty officer.

The man was booked for first-degree terroristic threatening and three firearm offenses, including possession of an unregistered gun. He is being held at the main police station cellblock, pending charges.

The arrest occurred on Date and Pa'ani streets when the off-duty officer answered a call for help from his brother, who said a man was tailgating him on the H-1 Freeway. As the off-duty officer approached the suspect's car, he saw the man pointing a pistol at him. The man surrendered the weapon without incident when the officer identified himself as police.