A missing 15-year-old girl and the 24-year-old man she had been dating for about a year were found dead on Lana'i yesterday after an apparent murder-suicide, police said.

The bodies were found in a field about a mile from the Lana'i Police Station. Family members identified the two as Ariel Aki and John Kelly Etrata, both of Lana'i.

Police said the two had been missing since Wednesday. A search party, which included members of the victims' families, found the bodies yesterday morning.

Henriette Mei Lani Aki, the girl's mother, said Aki and Etrata had a single gunshot wound each. A rifle was found at the scene, and a suicide note was found in Etrata's bedroom, she said.

She also said last night that police had been pursuing charges against Etrata over his relationship with her daughter because she was only 15. He started dating the girl a year ago, the mother said.

"He was being charged with sexual assault," Aki said.

Maui County detectives declined to give more details.

Her mother also said she approved of her daughter's relationship with Etrata because it appeared to make her happy.

She said the two often fished and camped together. "He took good care of her," Aki said. "They were very happy. ... I would like to think they died next to each other with one shot."

Ariel Aki was under the care of her uncle, who was the girl's guardian, her mother said.

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.