HILO, Hawaii – Peter Kema Sr. and his wife, Jaylin, pleaded not guilty in court on Friday, and requested jury trials.

The Pāhoa couple was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the disappearance of their son, “Peter Boy” Kema. Kema was six years old when he went missing 19 years ago.

Peter Kema Sr. was arrested initially on an unrelated traffic offense, and then arrested on the murder charge after a Hilo Grand Jury indicted Kema and his wife. His bail is set at $500 thousand dollars. Peter Boy’s mother, Jaylin Kema, was also arrested and her bail is set at $150,000. Both parents are charged with one count of second degree murder.

Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth has said for several years that his office has been diligently working to re-investigate and then prosecute cold cases. This is one case that has stayed in the public’s mind, after Peter Boy’s parents claimed they gave the child to a woman on Oahu whom police were never able to locate.

The jury trial for Kema Sr. is set for Monday, September 19th. The court is requiring as a condition of bail that Kema refrain from contacting the three main witnesses in the case: Siblings Allan Acol, Lina Acol, and Chauntelle (Acol) Woods.