Hawai‘i Island police are investigating the death of a 30-year-old male involved in a reported physical altercation with his roommates at a vacation rental.

At 2:09 a.m. on Monday, March 29, 2021, dispatch received a call of a man that was unresponsive and not breathing in the 75-5800 block of Walua Road in Kailua-Kona.  Upon officers arrival, Hawai‘i County Fire Department personnel were observed performing CPR on the victim. Attempts to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful.

A preliminary investigation has determined that a verbal argument between the men escalated and turned physical.

The two roommates were identified as 31-year-old Alexander Germany-Wald, of Boston, Massachusetts, and 37-year-old Benjamin Fleming, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Both men were arrested for manslaughter and are being held at the Kealakehe Police Station cellblock pending further investigation by the Area II Criminal Investigation Section.

The identity of the victim is being withheld pending positive identification from next of kin.

The police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to contact Detective Tyler Prokopec at (808) 326-4646 Ext. 224, or via email at tyler.prokopec@hawaiicounty.gov.