Police finish investigation into death of witness in Dana Ireland case
COURTESY HAWAII COUNTY POLICE
Shayne Kobayashi
Hawaii island police have completed their investigation into the death of a witness in the Dana Ireland rape and murder trial — turning the second-degree murder case over to prosecutors.
The badly decomposed body of Shayne Yoshi Kalani Kobayashi, 38, of Pahoa, was discovered on Jan. 18, 2013, off the “ATV Trail Park” near Stainback Highway in Hilo. He was identified through dental records.
Police have not made any arrests in Kobayashi’s death.
Kobayashi had been reported missing from his home on Dec. 11, 2012.
He was a witness in the 1999 murder trial that resulted in the convictions of Frank Pauline Jr. for the Christmas Eve 1991 kidnapping, rape and murder of Dana Ireland.
Kobayashi testified he had been drinking with Pauline and brothers Ian and Shawn Schweitzer when Ireland rode by on a bicycle. The testimony placed Pauline and the Schweitzer brothers near the scene of one of Hawaii island’s most notorious crimes.
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Pauline died in prison last year. Another inmate is charged with murder in his death.
Pauline’s death came just after Judges for Justice announced they were seeking a review of his conviction and the convictions of the Schweitzer brothers through DNA testing. The Hawai‘i Innocence Project is also involved.
11 responses to “Police finish investigation into death of witness in Dana Ireland case”
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Yes I agree ! Bachi !
Terrible tragedy. The life of an educated, idealistic teen wiped out by Big Island losers. Beware of visiting this area people. It is a nightmare IMO.
Allie, with all we hear about violence on the UH campus, should we close all the dorms too? Worry about your own back yard.
If Allie had a clue of what she is talking about, then we would not have to read her comments.
Yet all of you continue to even respond to the old bag! Why??
After all these years, the Dana ireland case still resonates with many of us.
It was a senseless murder by a bunch of retards, yet it did represent the kind of place it was with a lot of low lifes hiding out there and doing whatever they wanted.
To some extent it s still kind f like that.
Pfft! Puna. That says it ALL.
It seems there is a bunch of low lifes ruining what could be a nice place to live. The people there know who they are but are afraid as they should be. Good luck to them!
Hopefully all the perps involved are now coming to the end of their time on Earth.
Hey, all you guys are missing the point. The only witness who places Pauline and the Schweitzer brothers at the location of the crime has been killed. The case is being considered for review using genetic testing, Is it not at all suspicious why Kobayashi should coincidentally end up dead given the possible review of the case? Pauline may have been killed while in prison, but the Schweitzer brothers are still in prison and sure have a vested interest in key witness Kobayashi being alive or dead.
I’m not too familiar with this case, but it says in the article that Kobayashi disappeared in 2012. The new DNA testing was just proposed last year (2015), so it probably didn’t have anything to do with Kobayashi’s death.