Woman's body found off Kalapana

[csgray]

Apparently a press conference has been scheduled for this afternoon by the police to talk about the case. I hope the families were informed first.


Carol

[Punawild]

KITV4 report it's Bo, http://www.kitv.com/news/hawaii/police-b...index.html. Now the question is was murder or suicide? The hair and tissue makes you think murder but why drag a body AND a backpack, knife & cell phone? And why take it to a different spot then where you disposed of the first body?

Peace & love to both of these families that have lost a dear person in their lives.

(edited for 'duh' spelling mistake.)

[Adam-I-Am]

Hmmmm

[dragon2k]

Can our CSI people tell the difference between someone who hung himself and someone who was trussed up by others?

[Punawild]

dragon2k, hopefully.

[mary blonde]

From Nixle:
"Media Release (update)

The active investigation into the strangulation death of 25-year-old Brittany-Jane Royal has concluded with a determination that she was murdered by her boyfriend, 22-year-old Boaz David Johnson.

On December 18, a Grand Jury indicted Johnson for second-degree murder. At that time, a Circuit Court judge issued a warrant for Johnson’s arrest and sealed the indictment—at the request of police and prosecutors—to give state and federal law enforcement agencies the opportunity to locate and arrest Johnson. That indictment has now been unsealed.

Meanwhile, a body found hanging from a tree in Kalapana on January 2 has been identified as Boaz David Johnson. A private forensic laboratory confirmed the identity by comparing DNA from the body with a known sample of Johnson’s DNA. Johnson’s identity was also confirmed using dental records.

A composition book was found near Johnson’s body. In three handwritten pages, the writer—who identified himself as Boaz Johnson—confessed to strangling Royal while involved in a domestic dispute and to throwing her body into the ocean. He also indicated his intention to end his life.

A forensic document examiner determined that the writing in the composition book came from Boaz Johnson.

An autopsy on Johnson’s body revealed that the cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging and the manner of death was suicide. The medical examiner ruled out foul play.

This investigation began on May 28, 2013, at approximately 6:30 a.m., when police and firefighters responded to a report of a body caught in a fishing line in waters off Kalapana. The body was identified through fingerprints as Brittany-Jane Royal, who had recently moved to Hawai#699;i from Tustin, California, and was living in the Kalapana area with Boaz Johnson, who had recently moved to Hawai#699;i from Petersburg, Alaska.

Investigation revealed that after Royal’s body was found, Johnson said in a telephone conversation with a friend that he and Royal were in good health and were on their way to Hilo. That phone call, in addition to DNA and other evidence found at the crime scene, made Johnson an early suspect in Royal’s murder.

Throughout the investigation, police followed all leads in this case, including investigation that was able to exclude other individuals as being responsible for Royal’s death.

The case is still officially open because detectives have minor follow-ups to conduct before the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney conducts a final review."

How sad!!! Not what anyone thought at all!!

Live Aloha

[PaulW]

This was always the likeliest outcome. If a woman is murdered, the chances are very high that it's the boyfriend/husband.
If that person is then nowhere to be found, a murder-suicide becomes very likely.

I am surprised that police did not find the body, this could've been resolved in the first week.

ETA: My sympathies to both families.

[snorkle]

My sympathies to both families.

My utter condemnation to those here who were so quick to blame the local residents of Kalapana, and disparage our undermanned police department. Shame on you.

[nativekamaaina]

My sympathies too both families,very sad.

[wanuka]

Sympathies to both families.

Live, Laugh, Love