Kauaʻi police said financial dispute reason Billy Sinclair allegedly killed a 37-year-old in Hanalei

Hours after the two-day manhunt for murder suspect William “Billy” Sinclair ended peacefully in the water in Kapaʻa, the Kauaʻi Police Department held its first press conference revealing the victim was a 37-year-old man who was killed where he worked at a restaurant in Hanalei over an ongoing financial dispute that was not drug-related or “anything criminal.”

The police also went over the timeline, explaining why Kīlauea Road in Kīlauea was closed for nearly 10 hours, only to learn Sinclair was not there, and why the communication to the public was not more immediate.

Here is how Kauaʻi Assistant Chief Darren Rose said the events unfolded.

This investigation began at nearly 1 a.m. on Saturday, when officers responded to a report of a suspicious death in Hanalei that turned out to be a homicide. Police did not say how the victim, who lived in Kīlauea, died or disclosed his identity, with his family still to be notified.

But on Kauaʻi Nows Facebook page, Yanneth Reyes said the victim was her cousin, Tito Reyes.

“I thank God that no one else was shot and that everyone else is safe, but it is heartbreaking that my cousin didn’t make it home alive; instead, he will be coming home in a coffin,” Reyes wrote. “His father — my uncle — will have to see his son for the last time in a coffin after all these years. It is so sad.”

Less than four hours later, while police were still investing that death, they received multiple reports of gunfire at the residence where 51-year-old Sinclair lives on Kīlauea Road.

Officers went to Sinclair’s home and spoke with his “signficant other.” While the officers were there, Sinclair was seen in his driveway with “what appeared to be a rifle,” Rose said.

Sinclair went into his home. Police secured the area, set up a perimeter and evacuated the residents in the immediate area as a precaution, and then conducted a methodical search of the residence, but Sinclair was not there, Rose said.

A portion of Kīlauea Road was closed just before 8:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, as the search continued around his home, but Sinclair was not found.

“A perimeter was set up around the area, believing that he was there,” Kauaʻi Police Chief Rudy Tai said. “As we went through a methodical search, we realized he probably … snuck out the back.

“Unfortunately, we tried to lock down the scene as quick as we can. That was a difficult location to set up a perimeter on certain areas because of the neighboring residence, but we tried our best.”

Tai also said about some of the search location: “When you look at this place, there was no water, no electricity. It was really uninhabitable and there was a lot of debris everywhere. So it took us some time to actually go through the actual residence piece by piece.”

He said police found several weapons, safes and “ammunition everywhere. So it took some time.

It was later reported early Saturday morning that a separate individual sustained a grazing gunshot wound that was not life threatening. That victim was treated and released. And police determined that Sinclair also was a person of interest in that shooting, Tai said.

That victim told police he was parked by a stop sign on Kīlauea and Komo Road, when shots came from the house of Sinclair, whom he knew.

On Sunday, police learned Sinclair contacted a family member, asking for a phone. They also learned he was seen driving his Harley Davidson motorcycle at Kapaʻa State Park.

Later Sunday, police responded to a tip and found the motorcycle and seized it. They searched the skate park and determined he likely was on foot.

Monday morning, officers found a person matching Sinclair’s description by the Kapaʻa Public Library and a pursuit ensued. Sinclair ran into the ocean and remained just offshore for several hours, as police surrounded him on land, and by boat and Jet Ski, with a drone flying above him.

“With assistance from KPD’s crisis negotiators, they were able to negotiate his peaceful surrender before taking him into custody without incident,” Rose said.

Sinclair was taken into custody for second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder. A hand gun was in Sinclair’s jacket that was found in the water.

Sinclair was not seen with a rifle in the video police reviewed of him riding a motorcycle, Rose said.

“The apprehension of Sinclair concludes a multi-day and multi-location search effort across the island, and is an important step in ongoing investigation and bringing accountability for the victim and their family,” Rose said.

The manhunt included help from the Kauaʻi Fire Department, the Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement, the FBI, the US Marshal Service, the Hawaiʻi Island Police Department and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney.

“All of these entities supported us with personnel,” Tai said. “Their coordinated efforts were critical in a safe resolution of this incident.”

But many in the community, including Kauaʻi County Councilmember Felicia Cowden said the public should have been provided with better timely communication about the situation and manhunt.

“First and foremost, we know this incident caused a great deal of concern, fear and frustration for many members of our community,” Kauaʻi Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami said at the press conference. “We understand that people wanted information as quickly as possible, and we recognize how unsettling this situation was for residents across our island.”

He said while there was a strong desire for updates throughout the search, “law enforcement also had the responsibility of protecting the integrity of an active investigation.”

“Our intention was always to try to get that information out,” Tai said. “I think it’s challenging sometimes because we’re in the hub at the same time and our goal is to try to apprehend this individual as quick as we can.”

Tai also said resources also were stretched because the police had been dealing on Friday with another manhunt for a suspect in a shooting. Police located him in Hanapēpē.

But Tai, who has been chief for only three months, said he plans to go over what occurred with his command staff and moving forward “be better at getting information out.”

Police also plan to review Sinclair’s interaction previously with the police and his active temporary restraining orders, requested by neighbors who said he threatened them, including with a gun and long knife.

“He has no criminal history in the state of Hawaii, but he does have an extensive criminal history out in the state of California,” Rose said. “And he is a convicted felon. I know there’s firearms and robbery charges, but I’m not sure which one results in actual conviction.”