HILO, Hawai'i — Big Island police have identified a body found in the Pepe'ekeo area this summer as that of a missing 69-year-old Hilo man, and have opened a murder investigation into the case.

Police said DNA testing confirmed that a body found on June 28 is that of Stephen Lamaka Pua of Kapi'olani Street, who was last seen alive April 12.

Pua was last seen at a home shared by Sarah Faye Wilson, 28, and Cedrick Donell Darby, 34. Police had been looking for Pua, Wilson and Darby since late April.

On June 28 authorities located Wilson living out of state, and Big Island police located Pua's body that same day.

Big Island Police Lt. Randall Medeiros said the body was found outdoors in an area where it was exposed to the elements, but declined to be more specific.

Medeiros said Big Island police told authorities on the Mainland where to look for Wilson, but would not say what state she was living in when she was located. He also declined to say whether Wilson told police where to look for the body, and would not say how Pua was killed.

"The cause of death we're withholding at this point because the investigation is continuing," Medeiros said. "There are certain things that we need to do, some analysis that has been sent to a private laboratory."

Police are still seeking Darby, who is also believed to have left the state.

George Pua, Stephen's brother, said Stephen was a retired ironworker with a house on Kapi'olani Street in Hilo. He said Wilson was Stephen Pua's girlfriend for about two years.

"Every now and then he would go up to the house" in the Kaumana area where Wilson lived, George Pua said. "She would come down, pick him up and take him with her."

George Pua described his brother as a nice, relaxed sort of person, but said he had a very serious heart condition.

Medeiros said "it does not appear" that Pua died of natural causes, but declined to be more specific. "The circumstances were such that we had strong indications that it was in fact a murder," he said.

Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.