Hawaii County detectives are following leads but have not made any arrests in the shooting and strangulation murder of a 52-year-old Puna man, the second case of a body found in Puna in January.
An autopsy Tuesday determined that Robert John Leong died from a combination of a gunshot wound to the head, resulting in a brain injury, and ligature strangulation (where a cord or similar object is used).
Police reclassified the investigation as a murder, from a coroner’s inquest.
The property owner found Leong’s body in the back of the one-room structure Leong was renting in the Eden Roc subdivision, said Criminal Investigation Division Lt. Greg Esteban, who has three detectives working on the case.
Police received a report of the body’s discovery at 6:52 a.m. Saturday.
"We do have some information we’re following up on," he said, but would not provide further details.
"There is nothing to support that this is a hit or nothing to indicate organized crime involvement," Esteban said. "It’s going to be a challenge for us."
The one-room building and an adjoining shipping container, visible from the road, are the only structures on the property, and no commercial business was being conducted there, Esteban said.
Esteban noted this was the second unsolved death case in Puna last month.
The body of 62-year-old Dennis Eugene White of Kapoho was found Jan. 17 in Pohoiki near Isaac Hale Beach Park. The case remains classified as a coroner’s inquest.
White had a head injury, and his black or dark green 1998 Jeep Wrangler, which he was seen driving Jan. 16, has not been found. The Jeep had a tan soft top and license plate number HDY 926.
Anyone with information on the Leong case is asked to call Detective Ernest Matsumoto at 961-2379 or email him at ematsumoto@co.hawaii.hi.us.
Anonymous tips may be made to CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.
