Advertise on podcast: Beneath the Palms: Hawaii's True Crime, Mysteries & Untold History

Kathy Hicks came to Honolulu in September 1982 for a softball tournament. She never came home. The 25-year-old Delta Air Lines employee loved writing and looked out for her younger brother. Some postcards arrived after her death. Beneath the Palms follows this Hawaii cold case from the Ilikai Hotel and Nuuanu Pali Drive to preserved DNA, a CODIS connection and a 2023 trial. A separate investigation into Pamela Cahanes' murder led detectives to Thomas Garner. But a DNA match wasn't the whole story. Meet Kathy through her family's memories, then follow their decades-long search for answers. Listener discretion: homicide and assault. Closing music: “Broken Wings” by Yoza. Sources and archives: Kathy Hicks-SOLVED (outdated trial-status text)https://www.honolulupd.org/cold-case/kathy-hicks/ DNA cold case: Navy vet convicted of 1984 Florida murder indicted in second murder in Hawaii (Crystal Bonvillian)https://www.wsoctv.com/news/trending/dna-cold-case-navy-vet-convicted-1984-florida-murder-indicted-second-murder-hawaii/XGL7CQDDXFHZ3AOQOSUEUDED2I/ Jury begins deliberations in 1982 cold-case murder (Leila Fujimori)https://www.yahoo.com/news/jury-begins-deliberations-1982-cold-160200681.html Man acquitted in 1982 cold-case murder (Leila Fujimori)https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2023/07/13/hawaii-news/man-acquitted-in-1982-cold-case-murder/ Family of cold case murder victim speaks about ‘not guilty’ verdict (Nikki Schenfeld)https://www.khon2.com/local-news/family-of-cold-case-murder-victim-speaks-about-not-guilty-verdict/ Unswayed by the evidence, jury finds cold case murder suspect not guiltyhttps://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/07/12/convicted-murderer-found-not-guilty-1982-cold-case-killing-hawaii/ Decades-old Oahu cold case finally goes to trialhttps://www.kitv.com/news/crime/decades-old-oahu-cold-case-finally-goes-to-trial/article_85bad868-1a1f-11ee-8562-5750a063841a.html Thomas Garner DNA Search Warranthttps://www.scribd.com/document/512745304/Thomas-Garner-DNA-Search-Warrant Arrest Made in 1984 Murder of Navy Recruithttps://www.seminolesheriff.org/output/mediareports/11908/Cahanes%20Homicide%20Arrest.pdf §701-114 Proof beyond a reasonable doubthttps://capitolwebsite.azurewebsites.net/hrsarchive/hrs2025/Vol14_Ch0701-0853/HRS0701/HRS_0701-0114.htm Newspapers.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/Archival clippings: The Atlanta Journal, Sept. 21, 23 and 24, 1982; Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Sept. 20 and 22, 1982, and Jan. 3, 1983; The Honolulu Advertiser, Sept. 21 and 22, 1982; Honolulu Star-Advertiser, July 7 and 12, 2023. #KathyHicks #HawaiiTrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast

The Murder of Charli Scott: Pregnant Maui Woman, Steven Capobianco and the Charli Alert | Hawaii True Crime In February 2014, 27-year-old Carly “Charli” Scott was five months pregnant and preparing for a son she had already named Joshua. After leaving to help her former boyfriend with a disabled truck along Maui’s Hana Highway, she stopped answering her phone. This episode follows Charli first as a daughter, sister, friend and expectant mother, then traces the search, the burned 4Runner, evidence recovered near Nuaailua, Steven Capobianco’s prosecution, the 2016 guilty verdicts, the appeals, and her mother’s work with missing families. We also examine the proposed Charli Alert, created in her memory to address missing adults ages 18 to 64 who may be in danger. As of 2026, it had not become law. Listener discretion: This episode includes homicide, pregnancy loss, descriptions of human remains, and a family searching for a missing loved one. Sources:“Charli’s” Mom Testifies: Capobianco’s “Tone was Out of Context”https://mauinow.com/2016/07/26/charlis-mom-testifies-capobiancos-tone-was-out-of-context/Half-sister describes finding Scott’s clothing in a foresthttps://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2016/07/half-sister-describes-finding-scott-s-clothing-in-a-forest/EXCLUSIVE: Charli Scott's mother's message to ex-boyfriend and accused killerhttps://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/26028971/exclusive-charli-scotts-family-speaks-out/A ‘sense of community’: Life of Carly Scott celebrated by hundredshttps://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2014/03/a-sense-of-community-life-of-carly-scott-celebrated-by-hundreds/VIDEO: Guiltyhttps://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2016/12/guilty/Witness rebuts defense idea of wild boar evidence on victim’s jawbonehttps://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2016/11/witness-rebuts-defense-idea-of-wild-boar-evidence-on-victims-jawbone/‘Big lie’ involved victim, defendant getting pothttps://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2016/12/big-lie-involved-victim-defendant-getting-pot/Remembering Charlihttps://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2020/02/remembering-charli/State v. Capobiancohttps://law.justia.com/cases/hawaii/court-of-appeals/2021/caap-18-0000067.htmlHer daughter was murdered in 2014 — now she’s dedicated to helping other victimshttps://alohastatedaily.com/2026/08/05/her-daughter-was-murdered-in-2014-now-shes-dedicated-to-helping-other-victims/HB1192https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB1192_.HTM Music: “Broken Wings” by Yoza, used with permission. #CharliScott #HawaiiTrueCrime #MauiTrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #CharliAlert

Carlos Carrillo: Vanished from Waikiki on July 4, 2000 | Unsolved Hawaii True Crime On July 4, 2000, 28-year-old Carlos Vicente Carrillo called his fiancée from Evolution Waikiki and asked her to come get him. He had been drinking and wanted a ride home to Haleiwa. By the time she arrived, the night had changed. Carlos, known to his family as Carlitos, had moved to Hawaii from the San Diego area only months earlier. He was working around music and nightlife, building a life with his fiancée, staying close to his mother, and talking about bringing her to Hawaii for Thanksgiving. Then he disappeared. Jennifer Bray later said she heard Carlos being hurt inside the club, heard him saying “I’m sorry,” and eventually saw him lying motionless. She said she was then taken from the club against her will and driven around Pearl City for hours. When she returned, Carlos was gone. Police treated the disappearance as a homicide investigation. Blood was detected beneath removed carpeting. Carpet was recovered from behind the club and from Waimanalo Gulch. Investigators also examined a moving van and an unverified claim that Carlos had been taken to the airport for a flight to Las Vegas. No one has ever been convicted of killing him. In 2007, Carlos’s name resurfaced when federal prosecutors used the phrase “murder of Carlos Vicente Carrillo” in a proposed plea agreement involving former Evolution bouncer Robert H. Kaialau III. Kaialau rejected the deal and was later convicted in an unrelated federal racketeering case. This episode remembers more than the evidence. It remembers Carlitos: the son who called home for recipes, the fiancé building a future, and the family that never received an answer. Information: CrimeStoppers Honolulu accepts anonymous tips at 808-955-8300. Sources:Blood-stained carpet analyzed in missing man case - https://archives.starbulletin.com/2000/07/07/news/story10.html'Dozer digs for carpet in missing-man case - https://archives.starbulletin.com/2000/07/11/news/story8.htmlDisappearance still unsolved - https://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Aug/07/ln/ln19a.htmlArtist offers $10,000 to solve case - https://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Aug/09/ln/ln14a.htmlHawaii racketeering defendant also suspect in man's disappearance - https://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Oct/14/ln/hawaii710140351.htmlKaialau gets 20-year sentence - https://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Dec/31/ln/hawaii812310329.htmlCarlos Vicente Carrillo - The Charley Project - https://charleyproject.org/case/carlos-vicente-carrilloContact Us - CrimeStoppers Honolulu - https://www.honolulucrimestoppers.org/sitemenu.aspx?ID=606&P=contactus Music: “Broken Wings” by Yoza, used with permission. #CarlosCarrillo #HawaiiTrueCrime #Waikiki #MissingPerson #BeneathThePalms

Karen Stitt was 15 when she was murdered in Sunnyvale, California, in September 1982. The Pennsylvania transplant loved rock music, rode the El Camino bus routes on her own, and was building a new life in California. After an ordinary night with her boyfriend, she headed for a bus home and never made it. For decades, Karen's murder remained a Bay Area cold case. Preserved blood and biological evidence eventually led investigators through DNA testing and investigative genetic genealogy to Gary Gene Ramirez, then living on Maui. A direct DNA comparison after his 2022 arrest confirmed the match; in 2025, Ramirez pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and received life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. This episode keeps Karen at the center: the girl in the rock T-shirts, the copper ring a former boyfriend kept for decades, the Rush cap she borrowed that last night, and the people who never stopped remembering her. Listener discretion: sexual assault and murder of a minor, significant violence, and a brief reference to suicide. Sources: The Murder of Karen Stitt | Santa Clara County District Attorney https://da.santaclaracounty.gov/murder-karen-stitt Gary Ramirez Complaint and Statement of Facts https://files.santaclaracounty.gov/migrated/RAMIREZ_C2209665_COMPLAINT-SOF_Redacted.pdf Karen Stitt's Friends, Family Remember a Vibrant Soul Who Was Brutally Murdered | The Almanac https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2022/08/19/karen-stitts-friends-family-remember-a-vibrant-soul-who-was-brutally-murdered/ Makawao Man to Be Extradited to California | The Maui News https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2022/08/makawao-man-to-be-extradited-to-california/ Badass Detective: Karen Stitt Cold Case | ABC News 20/20 https://abcnews.com/video/129033776/ A Man From Hawaii Convicted of 1982 Murder of Karen Stitt | Santa Clara County DA https://da.santaclaracounty.gov/hawaiian-man-convicted-1982-murder-karen-stitt Elderly Man Sentenced for the 1982 Murder of Karen Stitt | Santa Clara County DA https://da.santaclaracounty.gov/elderly-man-sentenced-1982-murder-karen-stitt Hawaii Man Gets Life Sentence in Karen Stitt Murder | Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-12/hawaii-man-gets-life-sentence-for-raping-and-murdering-15-year-old-california-girl Cold Case Killer Pleads No Contest | The Mercury News https://da.santaclaracounty.gov/mercury-news-cold-case-killer-pleads-no-contest-stabbing-sunnyvale-girl-59-times-1982 Historical newspaper coverage: San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 4, 1982; Oakland Tribune, Sept. 5, 1982; San Francisco Examiner, Nov. 15, 1982; Peninsula Times Tribune, July 27, 1985. https://www.newspapers.com/ Music: "Broken Wings" by Yoza, used with permission. #KarenStitt #GaryRamirez #ColdCase #GeneticGenealogy #BeneathThePalms

Matthew Joel Peak was 22 years old when his life ended in Waipio Valley, Hawaii. In 1999, he was living between Waipio and Puna, often hitchhiking through Hilo and sleeping in a simple camp in the valley. On June 1, beachgoers found a body buried in the sand near the beach. Fingerprints gave that body a name: Matthew. What followed became one of Hawaii Island’s enduring cold cases. His death was ruled a homicide after investigators determined he died from asphyxia due to homicidal violence. No suspect has ever been publicly identified, and more than 25 years later, police are still asking for the one memory, conversation, ride, or detail that could matter. Buried in Paradise goes beyond the case file to look at the young man behind the photograph, the life he was living in Waipio, the rumors that grew around his death, and the line between what people said and what investigators could actually prove. If you knew Matthew, saw him around Waipio, Hilo, or Puna, gave him a ride, or remember anything from 1999 that may help, contact the Hawaii Police Unsolved Homicides Division at 808-961-2380, Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300, or [email protected]. Case F-96184. Sources:Matthew Peak Murder (F-96184), Hawaii Police Departmenthttps://www.hawaiipolice.gov/matthew-peak-murder-f-96184/Waipio Body Found Update 06/04/99, Hawaii Police Departmenthttps://www.hawaiipolice.com/waipio-body-found-update-060499Waipio Body Found Update 06/05/99, Hawaii Police Departmenthttps://www.hawaiipolice.com/waipio-body-found-update-060599Waipio Body Update 08/03/99, Hawaii Police Departmenthttps://www.hawaiipolice.com/waipio-body-update-080399Mystery of Waipio Valley murder still unsolved 25 years later, KHON2https://www.khon2.com/hawaiis-unsolved-murders/mystery-of-waipio-valley-murder-still-unsolved-25-years-later/Newspapers.com archival coverage: Hawaii Tribune-Herald, “Waipio Valley body identified” (June 6, 1999), “Foul play suspected in death” (Aug. 4, 1999), “Fear and loathing in Waipio Valley” (Nov. 15, 1999), “Police still seeking leads in these likely homicides” (May 25, 2003); Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Police identify Waipio Valley body” (June 8, 1999); Honolulu Star-Bulletin, “Autopsy report due today on body found in Waipio” (June 4, 1999).https://www.newspapers.com/Wet and Wild: Waipio Valley, Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-11-03-tr-60670-story.html Music: “Broken Wings” by Yoza, used with permission. #MatthewPeak #WaipioValley #HawaiiTrueCrime #UnsolvedMurder #ColdCase

Who killed Lynn Ebisuzaki? In 1987, the 26-year-old Hilo woman stepped away from a home she was visiting and never came back. Police found her body nearby, and nearly four decades later her murder remains unsolved. This episode of Beneath the Palms revisits the Lynn Ebisuzaki cold case from the beginning: the life she built in Hilo, her work, her years helping children at church, the timeline on May 1, 1987, the unidentified man seen near Hilo Airport with a bleeding hand, the original composite sketches, forensic evidence, and the later witness account involving another unidentified man seen arguing with Lynn before her death. But this is not just a Hawaii cold case. Lynn was a daughter, sister, coworker, friend, and a familiar presence in her church community. People remembered her as quiet, friendly, caring and kind. When she died, people lined the street to say goodbye. If you have information about Lynn's murder, contact Hawaii Police Detective Sybastian Keltner at 808-961-2326 or [email protected]. Anonymous tips: Crime Stoppers, 808-961-8300. Sources:Police Renew Request for Information Regarding 1987 Unsolved Homicide in Hilohttps://www.hawaiipolice.gov/police-renew-request-for-information-regarding-1987-unsolved-homicide-in-hilo/Lynn Ebisuzaki Murder C-60060https://www.hawaiipolice.gov/lynn-ebisuzaki-murder-c-60060/Who killed Lynn Ebisuzaki? Victim in unsolved 1987 murder 'was a very kind person'https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/25/hawaii-news/who-killed-lynn-ebisuzaki-victim-in-unsolved-1987-murder-was-a-very-kind-person/Lynn Emiko Ebisuzaki Obituary Archivehttps://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/obituaries/8984/Woman murdered in Hilo, May 3, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Police Beat, May 3, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/2 murder cases on Big Island, May 4, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Possible suspect is sought, May 5, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Police describe suspect in slaying of woman, May 5, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Man sought, May 6, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Isle murders on the increase, July 23, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Not 'outdoor shower,' August 11, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/ Music: Yoza, "Broken Wings" | @yozamusic | https://yozamusic.com/ #LynnEbisuzaki #HawaiiTrueCrime #UnsolvedMurder #ColdCase #TrueCrimePodcast

Gill Jamieson. Myles Fukunaga. Punahou. Honolulu, 1928. A ten-year-old boy leaves school after being told his mother has been hurt. He never comes home. Gill Jamieson was more than the child at the center of one of Hawaii’s most disturbing early true crime cases. He traveled with his father, went to birthday parties, learned piano, and had a life that should have stretched far beyond September 18, 1928. Instead, 19-year-old Myles Fukunaga took him from Punahou, killed him, demanded ransom from his family, and confessed after investigators traced the money back to him. But the case did not end with the confession. Fukunaga’s rapid trial, questions about his mental condition, the racial climate of territorial Hawaii, the response of Hawaii’s Japanese community, his appeals, and his 1929 execution turned Gill’s murder into a debate about guilt, due process, race, mental illness, and capital punishment. This episode of Beneath the Palms goes back before the headlines to restore Gill as a child first, while following the full case from kidnapping and investigation through trial, execution, and the questions that remain nearly a century later. Sources and further reading:Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser and Hawaii Tribune-Herald historical coverage via Newspapers.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/Fukunaga v. Territory of Hawaii, 33 F.2d 396 (9th Cir. 1929)https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/33/396/1497158/Raced to Death in 1920s Hawaii: Injustice and Revenge in the Fukunaga Case, Jonathan Y. Okamurahttps://academic.oup.com/illinois-scholarship-online/book/33883Fukunaga case, Densho Encyclopediahttps://encyclopedia.densho.org/Fukunaga%20caseMyles Fukunaga: Racism in Hawaii, Then and Now, Hawaii Public Radiohttps://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/arts-culture/2019-10-08/myles-fukunaga-racism-in-hawaii-then-and-nowPoor Innocent Lad: The Tragic Death of Gill Jamieson and the Execution of Myles Fukunaga, Mike Farrishttps://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Poor-Innocent-Lad/Mike-Farris/9781949135015Hawaii State Archiveshttps://ags.hawaii.gov/archives/Preservation Month: Iconic Oahu Cemetery Celebrates its 175th Anniversary, Historic Hawaii Foundationhttps://historichawaii.org/article/preservation-month-iconic-o%CA%BBahu-cemetery-celebrates-its-175th-anniversary-this-august/Moiliili Japanese Cemetery, Historic Hawaii Foundationhttps://historichawaii.org/historic-property-oa/moiliili-japanese-cemetery/ Listener discretion: This episode discusses the kidnapping and murder of a child, suicide and mental-health concerns, racial prejudice, capital punishment, and execution. #GillJamieson #MylesFukunaga #HawaiiTrueCrime #Punahou #TrueCrimeHistory

Simon Owen was 21 when he vanished near the Manoa Falls Trail on Oahu in June 1994. He had survived a broken neck, rebuilt his future, traveled through the Amazon and Europe, and come to Hawaii for a summer of work and adventure. Then his bicycle was found locked near the trail entrance, but Simon was nowhere to be found. This episode of Beneath the Palms follows the disappearance of Simon Owen, the young Texas Wesleyan University student who worked at Chili's in Waikiki and spent his free time exploring the island. Coworkers noticed when he missed work. His room was undisturbed, his money and personal belongings were left behind, and everything suggested he expected to return. Police officers, firefighters, volunteers, Army soldiers, Marines, climbers, helicopter crews, and dozens of Simon's coworkers searched Manoa Valley. His mother, Mitzi Lockett, flew from Texas, moved into his rented room, and helped lead searches for months. On the birthday she shared with her son, she carried two leis to the base of the falls. One was for her. The other was for Simon. Police have long believed Simon may have left the maintained trail and fallen into steep terrain hidden beneath the valley's dense canopy. No physical evidence has ever proven that theory. More than three decades later, he remains missing. This is not only the story of a missing Hawaii hiker. It is the story of a son, student, traveler, coworker, friend, and survivor whose family and classmates have never allowed the mystery to become his entire identity. If you have information about Simon Owen or remember seeing him around Waikiki or Manoa in late June 1994, contact the Honolulu Police Department. Sources Lack of Evidence Makes Solving Cases Difficulthttps://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Apr/14/ln/ln12a.html Simon Owenhttps://charleyproject.org/case/simon-owen Missing: Simon Owen | Honolulu, HIhttps://uncovered.com/cases/simon-owen Police Recognize Top Officers of Yearhttps://archives.starbulletin.com/2005/05/19/news/index8.html Simon Owen Memorial Scholarshiphttps://www.gofundme.com/f/simon-owen-memorial-scholarship Remote Viewing Newsletter: Simon Owenhttps://hrvg.org/newsletter/2002-09/feature.html Contemporary Newspaper Archive: Simon Owen Coverage, 1994 to 1996https://www.newspapers.com/ Research, writing, and production by Aku Bone Media. Narration by Jubilee Lum. Closing music, "Broken Wings," courtesy of Yoza. #SimonOwen #MissingPerson #ManoaFalls #HawaiiTrueCrime #BeneathThePalms

The Palmyra Atoll Murders began as an adventure. In 1974, experienced sailors Malcolm “Mac” Graham and Eleanor “Muff” Graham reached remote Palmyra Atoll aboard their yacht, Sea Wind, expecting months of isolation in the Pacific. Instead, they vanished. Months later, the Sea Wind appeared in Hawaii with Buck Duane Walker and Stephanie Stearns aboard. The yacht had been altered and renamed, while Mac and Muff were nowhere to be found. Years later, Muff’s remains were discovered on Palmyra, leading to separate federal murder trials. Walker was convicted of Muff’s premeditated murder and sentenced to life. Stearns was tried separately and acquitted. Mac has never been found. This episode of Beneath the Palms independently rebuilds the Palmyra Atoll murders from contemporary Hawaii and mainland reporting, federal court records, and later reporting. It also examines how And the Sea Will Tell, written by Stearns’ defense attorney Vincent Bugliosi with Bruce Henderson, shaped the version of this case most people know today. This episode is dedicated to Ricky Griggs, with gratitude and respect for the work he gave to the Palmyra case. Thank you to Yoza for “Broken Wings.” SourcesUnited States v. Stephanie K. Stearns, 550 F.2d 1167https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/550/1167/309429/United States v. Stearns and Walker, 707 F.2d 391https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/707/391/230118/United States v. Walker, 546 F. Supp. 805https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/546/805/1870478/Despite Guilty Verdict, Mystery of Palmyra Lingers Onhttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-06-12-me-6125-story.htmlWalker Gets Life Sentence for Murder of S.D. Womanhttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-06-29-me-9816-story.htmlWoman Acquitted in Island Slayinghttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-03-02-me-1487-story.html1974 Murder Victim Still Awaits Burialhttps://www.cruisingworld.com/1974-murder-victim-still-awaits-burial/Newspapers.com archive: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, Connecticut Post, AP and UPI coveragehttps://www.newspapers.com/And the Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi and Bruce Hendersonhttps://brucehendersonbooks.com/books/and-the-sea-will-tell/ #PalmyraAtoll #HawaiiTrueCrime #TrueCrime #MacAndMuffGraham #AndTheSeaWillTell

Lisa Bissell was 38 when she was found on April 7, 2000—stabbed in a ditch off a roadway leading toward Polihale on Kauai. This episode follows the documented timeline that’s publicly available, then widens to the 2000 West Kauai violence cluster discussed in reporting, including the Kekaha attempted sexual assault where a surviving victim helped generate a composite sketch, and the later homicide near Pakala Beach that intensified public concern and investigative scrutiny. This episode contains factual reporting on a homicide and an unresolved investigation. Some details may be disturbing. What follows is reconstructed from documented reporting and attributed official statements described in those reports, available at the time of release; some details may change as new information emerges. A clearly labeled Speculation Lane appears later, separate from the verified timeline. Listener discretion is advised. If you have information related to this case, you can contact the Kauai County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney’s cold case line and investigators as listed on their official cold case page. Sources: Kauai County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney — Cold Case: “2000 – Lisa Bissell” (official case summary and tip contact info) Honolulu Star-Bulletin — “Kauai may have a serial killer” (Sept. 1, 2000) Honolulu Star-Bulletin — “Kauai’s unsolved slayings have police on the defensive” (Oct. 28, 2000) Los Angeles Times — “Kauai Killings Remind Women That Avoiding Danger Is Up to Them” (Apr. 29, 2001) #BeneathThePalms #TrueCrimePodcast #Kauai #Polihale #WestKauai #ColdCase #UnsolvedMurder #HawaiiTrueCrime #KauaiPolice #MissingAndMurdered #JusticeForLisaBissell #IslandCrime #HawaiiPodcast

The Cliff, the Syringes, and the Surgeon | Revisited On March 24, 2025, Arielle Konig went hiking above Nuʻuanu with her husband, Maui anesthesiologist Gerhardt Konig. What began as a birthday trip ended with Arielle severely injured on the Pali Puka Trail, two hikers moving toward her screams, and an all-day search that ended with her husband’s arrest. This fully rewritten episode follows the marriage before the trail, Arielle’s account of being forced toward the cliff, the alleged syringe, the rock attack, her rescue, the investigation, divorce proceedings, and the 2026 trial. Gerhardt admitted striking his wife with the rock but denied trying to inject her or push her over the edge. A jury rejected attempted murder and convicted him of attempted manslaughter based on extreme mental or emotional disturbance. The case is not legally finished. His attorneys have asked the court to overturn the conviction and order a new trial, citing jurors’ public comments and an unverified claim involving the trial livestream. As of this episode’s recording, he remains convicted and in custody, but has not been sentenced. This story centers Arielle not as courtroom evidence, but as a mother, engineer, working professional, and survivor. It also remembers the two strangers who heard a voice in danger and chose to walk toward it. Listener discretion: This episode contains descriptions of domestic violence, attempted killing, severe physical assault, suicidal statements, and allegations involving medical equipment. Sources Maui woman details alleged attack by husband on Oahu hiking trail Grand jury indicts Maui doctor for allegedly trying to kill wife on trail Gerhardt Konig News Updates and Trial Coverage Hawaii doctor’s son says father confessed he “tried to kill” wife Jury begins deliberations in trial over Maui doctor accused of trying to kill wife Doctor accused of trying to kill wife on hike found guilty Hawaii doctor accused of trying to kill his wife convicted of attempted manslaughter Honolulu Star-Advertiser coverage: March 25, 27, 28, 29 and April 1, 2025; May 27, 2025; March 20, 25, 26, April 9 and May 23, 2026 Help Arielle Konig Heal After Tragic Incident Music: “Broken Wings” by Yoza. #GerhardtKonig #ArielleKonig #HawaiiTrueCrime #PaliPukaTrail #BeneathThePalms

The Unsolved Murder of Jubilee “Maile” Lum Jubilee “Maile” Lum was twenty-one years old, taking adult education classes, planning to marry on her next birthday, and, according to her mother, four months pregnant. On August 24, 1999, her body was found wrapped in layers of plastic behind a Honolulu florist. The night before, Maile had reportedly been seen getting into a white or light-colored Ford Econoline van in Chinatown. A purple or turquoise pickup was also reported near the florist around the time her body was left there. Neither vehicle has been publicly identified, no suspect has been named, and her murder remains unsolved. This episode follows Maile’s life before the headlines, the family who kept trying to bring her home, the wedding date she never reached, and the investigation that raised questions about another young woman, Michelle Anne Bensinger. Police believed the women probably knew each other, and the FBI later compared their cases with attacks on women on Kauaʻi, but no common killer was ever established. Maile was not a label or a cautionary tale. She was a daughter, sister, fiancée, aunt, and young woman who helped care for the people around her while trying to find steadier ground for herself. Anyone with information can contact Honolulu CrimeStoppers at 808-955-8300 or the Honolulu Police Department at 808-529-3111. Sources Jubilee Lum - Honolulu Police Department Cold Case https://www.honolulupd.org/cold-case/jubilee-lum/ Lure of Street Life Strong for Murder Victim https://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/09/24/news/story7.html Police Pondering Whether Deaths Were Connected https://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/08/27/news/story4.html Link Uncovered in Deaths of Two Oahu Women https://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/09/22/news/story2.html Unsolved Cases Need Public’s Help https://archives.starbulletin.com/2000/01/25/news/story2.html New Leads Sought in Seven-Year-Old Slaying https://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/26/ln/FP606260343.html Police Re-Investigate Unsolved Murder https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/5077097/police-re-investigate-unsolved-murder/ Honolulu Star-Bulletin Obituary: Jubilee “Maile” Lum https://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/09/09/news/obits.html Newspapers.com Archive: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, and Hawaii Tribune-Herald https://www.newspapers.com/ Follow @BeneathThePalmsPodcast for episode visuals, archival material, and updates. #JubileeLum #HawaiiTrueCrime #HonoluluColdCase #UnsolvedMurder #BeneathThePalms

Khilye Hamadani missing in Hawaii. Honolulu Airport. East Oahu. China Walls. Spitting Cave. This episode follows the public record of Khilye Hamadani, the 21-year-old woman who arrived in Honolulu on June 2, 2025, was later linked to the shoreline near Portlock and China Walls, and became the focus of a major multi-agency search off Oahu. Some stories leave behind too much geography and not enough truth. A phone was traced to the Spitting Cave area. A bag was found near China Walls. Two white platform sneakers matching what she was reported to be wearing were recovered offshore near Waialae Beach Park. Search crews covered roughly 1,200 square miles over more than 100 combined hours before the search was suspended on June 7, 2025. During the same window, state officials were also warning again about the dangers at China Walls and Spitting Caves, where responders have repeatedly handled rescues, injuries, and deaths. What remains is the missing middle: the distance between the airport and the shoreline, and the line between what the public record supports and what people online want to believe. This episode stays with the verified timeline, keeps rumor in its place, and does not present intent, accident, or foul play as established fact. If you have information, contact Honolulu CrimeStoppers at (808) 955-8300 or the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu command center at (808) 842-2600. Sources: https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2025/06/05/search-widens-missing-woman-last-seen-honolulu-airport/ https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4206878/coast-guard-partners-search-for-woman-in-water-off-hawaii/ https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4209054/coast-guard-suspends-search-for-woman-in-water-off-hawaii/ https://www.honolulupd.org/crimestoppers-missing-person-khilye-hamadani/ https://governor.hawaii.gov/newsroom/dlnr-news-release-dramatic-video-shows-dangers-of-play-at-china-walls-and-spitting-caves-june-3-2025/ #KhilyeHamadani #MissingPerson #MissingInHawaii #Oahu #Honolulu #HonoluluAirport #ChinaWalls #SpittingCave #Portlock #TrueCrimePodcast #BeneathThePalms

In March 1977, George Helm and Kimo Mitchell disappeared in the waters near Molokini after traveling toward Kahoʻolawe during one of the defining struggles of the Hawaiian Renaissance. George was a gifted falsetto singer from Molokaʻi whose music carried aloha ʻāina into hotel lounges, community gatherings, and a growing movement. Kimo was a Keʻanae waterman, football player, farmer, fisherman, and National Park Service worker known for his strength, loyalty, and deep connection to land and sea. This episode traces the history of Kahoʻolawe from Native Hawaiian settlement and sacred use through ranching, erosion, military control, and decades of Navy bombing. It follows the 1976 and 1977 occupations, the rise of the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana, the final journey, the massive search, the disputed television footage, and the questions their families were left to carry. The most grounded explanation remains that both men were lost at sea. But without bodies, final proof, or a place to mourn, uncertainty survived. What did not disappear was their legacy. The bombing eventually stopped, the island returned to Hawaiʻi, and their names became part of the history of Hawaiian resistance, restoration, and cultural renewal. Listener discretion: This episode includes discussion of missing persons, ocean disappearance, military bombing, grief, and unresolved loss. SourcesKahoʻolawe History - https://kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/history.shtmlA Voyage to Health: Reclaiming the Island - https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/avoyagetohealth/exhibition-reclaiming-island.htmlKimo Mitchell - https://www.kaainamomona.org/post/kimo-mitchellGeorge Helm - https://www.kaainamomona.org/post/george-helm40 Years After Men’s Disappearance at Sea, Their Vision for Kahoolawe Has Become a Reality - https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2017/03/40-years-after-mens-disappearance-at-sea-their-vision-for-kahoolawe-has-become-a-reality/Hawaiian Soul: The Making of a Short Film About George Helm - https://kawaiola.news/cover/hawaiian-soul/Hawaiian Soul - https://www.hawaiiansoulmovie.com/Hakioawa Management Plan and Program Material - https://kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/downloads/HMPO_Program.pdfHoʻihoʻi Hou: A Tribute to George Helm & Kimo Mitchell - https://www.nativebookshawaii.org/products/ho%CA%BBiho%CA%BBi-hou-a-tribute-to-george-helm-kimo-mitchellNewspapers.com - https://www.newspapers.com/ Archival newspapers consulted: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaiʻi Tribune-Herald, The Polynesian, The Hawaiian Gazette, and Daily Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Music: “Broken Wings” by Yoza. #GeorgeHelm #KimoMitchell #Kahoolawe #HawaiiHistory #HawaiianHistory

Joseph Kahahawai Jr. was only twenty-two years old when his name became tied forever to one of the most infamous cases in territorial Hawaiʻi: the Massie case. Before the headlines, before the courtroom, before the one-hour sentence, Joseph was a son of Maui, a young Native Hawaiian man, a football player, a boxer, a guardsman, and part of a local family whose grief was forced into public view. In 1931, Thalia Massie accused five local men of assault after a night in Waikiki. Joseph Kahahawai Jr., Horace Ida, Henry Chang, David Takai, and Ben Ahakuelo were arrested and tried. The first Ala Moana trial ended in a hung jury after ninety-seven hours. They were not convicted. Before any second trial could decide anything, Joseph was taken from near the Judiciary Building with a forged summons, driven to Mānoa, and killed. Grace Fortescue, Thomas Massie, E. J. Lord, and Albert Jones were later convicted of manslaughter. Judge Charles Davis sentenced them to up to ten years. Governor Lawrence Judd reduced that sentence to one hour. This episode returns the story to Joseph, his family, the other accused local men, and the Hawaiʻi that lived with the wound. Not as scandal. Not as courtroom theater. As a human life cut down before the law ever finished speaking. Listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussion of an alleged sexual assault, racialized press coverage, abduction, murder, vigilante violence, and injustice in territorial Hawaiʻi. Sources: The Massie Case and Hawaiʻi: A Timeline | American Experience | PBS – https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/island-murder-hawaiian-history-and-massie-case/ Joseph Kahahawai’s Murder | American Experience | PBS – https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/island-murder-joseph-kahahawais-murder/ The Island Murder | American Experience | PBS – https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/island-murder/ Hawaiian History Month: The Massie Case | University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu Library – https://westoahu.hawaii.edu/library/2021/09/21/hawaiianhistorymonth-the-massie-case/ Clarence Darrow and the Massie Trial | University of Missouri-Kansas City – https://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/darrow/massie.htm The American Raj | The New Yorker – https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/05/07/the-american-raj-pearl-harbor Contemporary reporting from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, and Hoku o Hawaii via Newspapers.com – https://www.newspapers.com/ nupepa: Hawaiian Language Newspapers – https://nupepa-hawaii.com/ Music close: “Aloha ʻOe” by The Rose Ensemble from Nā Mele Hawaiʻi: A Rediscovery of Hawaiian Vocal Music. #JosephKahahawaiJr #MassieCase #HawaiiTrueCrime #NativeHawaiianHistory #BeneathThePalms