A Hilo jury found 61 year-old Patricia Wong of Na‘alehu guilty as charged in relation to the June 2009 murder of Kaycee Smith at an Orchidland Estates subdivision residence.

After reading the jury’s guilty verdict, Prosecutors requested that Wong, who was previously released on $250,000.00 bail, be denied bail. In response, the Court increased Wong’s bail to $5,000,000.00 and she was taken into custody.

In June 2016, Wong was originally indicted on a single charge of Murder in the Second Degree. On December 28, 2022, prosecutors indicted additional charges against Wong and named Peter Fuerte as an alleged co-conspirator and accomplice.

As the Indictment alleged, Wong was charged with Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Murder in the Second Degree, and two counts of Criminal Solicitation. Fuerte was charged with Accomplice to Murder in the Second Degree and Accomplice to Attempted Murder in the Second Degree.

Wong was ordered to appear for her sentencing hearing on February 27, 2024.

The investigation was handled by Captain Rio Amon-Wilkins and Detective Derek Morimoto of the Hawaiʻi County Police Department’s Area I Criminal Investigation Section. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Annaliese Wolf and Matthew Woodward.

In a press release Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen said, “We hope that this verdict brings some sense of closure for Kaycee Smith’s family and friends. This verdict was the result of the hard work and dedication of our police, victim advocates, and prosecutors, especially Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Annaliese Wolf, Matthew Woodward, and Duane Kokesch. I would also like to the thank the jury for their time and service.”

 

Photo credit: Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney