(BIVN) – A Puna man has been indicted by a Hilo grand jury on charges of murder following the fatal shooting at the Hawaiian Paradise Park Community Center.
49-year-old Bryant Guevarra of Puna appeared in Hilo Circuit Court on Friday, where his bail was maintained at $1,823,000.
Guevarra was indicted in connection with the September 19, 2026 shooting that resulted in the death of 41-year-old Jose Manuel Adame Romero.
Puna patrol officers responded to the scene of the shooting, after “a man called police and reported that he had been attacked and had shot another man.” Guevarra was still at the scene of the shooting when officers arrived, and he was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder.
“Following his arrest, Guevarra made his initial appearance in Hilo District Court on September 22, 2026,” reported the office of Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen. “On Friday afternoon, Guevarra appeared in Hilo Circuit Court for his return on the Indictment warrant. His bail was maintained at $1,823,000. A jury trial is scheduled for February 8, 2027. Guevarra was also ordered to appear for a hearing on defense counsel’s motion for a bail reduction on October 26, 2026.”
Guevarra is charged with Murder in the Second Degree, Carrying or Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Separate Felony, Place to Keep Pistol or Revolver, Place to Keep Ammunition, and Reckless Endangering in the First Degree.
Prosecutors note Murder in the Second Degree carries a penalty of life in prison with the possibility of parole. Carrying or Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Separate Felony is a class A felony offense which carries a penalty of a twenty-year prison term.
The charges are merely allegations, and the Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, prosecutors say.
