Hawai‘i Island police have initiated a homicide investigation following the discovery of 71-year-old Yong Cha Kim of Mountain View who was found dead in her Hawaiian Acres home late last week.

On June 20, Puna patrol officers responded to a Mountain View residence after an elderly man found his wife laying unresponsive on the floor. Officers observed Kim had sustained several suspicious injuries and that items within the residence appeared to be disturbed. It was also reported that several items were stolen.

Kim was transported to the Hilo Benioff Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

Following an autopsy, the forensic pathologist determined that Kim’s cause of death was strangulation and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Area I Criminal Investigation Section detectives are continuing this investigation, which is now classified as second-degree murder.

Police ask anyone who may have information relative to this case to call Detective Amy Omaya at (808) 961-2381, or via email at amy.omaya@hawaiicounty.gov.