Police: Armed fugitive still wanted

A 40-year-old fugitive who was the subject of a multi-agency manhunt Wednesday in Upper Puna, a Glenwood subdivision, has 40 criminal convictions dating back to 2004, according to court records.

Malani Donald Tavui was convicted of car theft, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, firearms offence, promoting a dangerous drug and making a terroristic threat. Tavui was also convicted of violating parole and probation.

“He is still wanted,” Capt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of the Hawaii Police Department, who commands the East Hawaii Criminal Investigation Division, said Friday. “He is wanted for numerous crimes. We know that he is armed and dangerous, and that he is in possession of firearms.

The department’s Special Response Team, which is HPD’s SWAT unit, along with federal partners — including the FBI SWAT team and the U.S. Marshal Service — were deployed Wednesday morning to execute what police described as “a high-risk search warrant for a wanted fugitive believed to be armed and dangerous.”

The fugitive turned out to be Tavui, who is currently serving four years of probation for a firearms offense, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle and two counts of auto theft.

A police spokeswoman said Tavui was wanted on two Parras arrest warrants, which are issued when police are unable to locate a suspect and must take further action.

Amon-Wilkins said the offenses Tavui is wanted for are unauthorized control of a stolen vehicle, first-degree theft, firearms-related charges, regular property crimes, criminal property damage and traffic violations.

Four all-point alert bulletins, or BOLOs, were issued for Tavui, the spokeswoman said.

According to Amon-Wilkins, these bulletins are “several months old.”

“We had an incident with him at the Central Pacific Bank (in Hilo) last week,” Amon-Wilkins said. “It was suspected he was in a vehicle and officers attempted to contact him. And he fled, hitting several vehicles.

Amon-Wilkins said the interagency operation with the federal government required the closure of Malia Aina Road in Glenwood’s Fern Forest subdivision for several hours, and was the result of “some good information” received by agents.

Although Wednesday’s manhunt did not result in Tavui’s arrest, SRT and its federal partners were nearby and on hand to HPD when officers were dispatched to a vacant Volcano residence that was allegedly occupied by a squatter who then engaged in an armed confrontation with the police.

Tavui remains at large, Amon-Wilkins said.

He is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 190 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.

Anyone with information on Tavui’s whereabouts is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (808) 935-3311. Those who prefer anonymity can call Crime Stoppers at (808) 961-8300.

Email John Burnett at [email protected].