Puna’s dark side: How a peaceful community faced sudden violence

Puna, a quiet corner of Hawaii’s Big Island known for its off-grid living and close-knit vibe, was shaken when three elderly men were found dead over a few days. The victims—Robert Shine, John Carse, and an unnamed 79-year-old—weren’t connected by much except their shared love for Puna’s laid-back, tropical lifestyle. Shine was a fixture at drum circles, always smiling and dancing. Morse, who moved from California decades ago, built a fruit-filled paradise on his land, sharing his harvest freely. The third man’s life remains more mysterious. Behind the tragedy is Jacob Baker, a 36-year-old arrested for the killings. Neighbors say he’d been acting aggressively lately, with police records showing a history of run-ins. Baker had even clashed with locals, claiming “squatter’s rights” on a property and allegedly threatening a woman who asked for a restraining order. Two other women had recently tried the same, but a judge dismissed their claims due to lack of evidence.What ties Baker to the victims? Work-trade living. He once stayed on Janelle Honer’s land in exchange for trimming her coconut trees. But after leaving, he returned, demanding to stay—until Honer’s friends warned her to take legal action. The killings happened just days after two women filed harassment complaints against him. Puna isn’t all sunshine and fruit trees. It’s a place where poverty, drugs, and limited resources clash with its reputation as a healing escape. Longtime resident Tiffany Edwards Hunt puts it bluntly: “Hawaii can either welcome you or destroy you. ” The area’s cheap land attracts dreamers, but its struggles can swallow them whole. Baker’s arrest came after neighbors Mark Wyatt and Richard Valdez spotted him on their security cameras. The footage showed him hiding from traffic, barefoot and shirtless, near Carse’s home. Police later found him in a cave, where he’d rigged a makeshift shelter from stolen cushions and palm fronds. Valdez, who once rented space from Baker years ago, admitted it’s hard to reconcile the man he knew with the accused killer.