Jacob Daniel Baker Accused of Killing Three Elderly Men in Hawaii Before Hiding in a Cave

 

Jacob Daniel Baker Is Accused of Killing Three Elderly Men in Hawaii Before Hiding in a Cave

Jacob Daniel Baker, 36, is facing murder charges in connection with the deaths of three elderly men in Hawaii’s rural Puna community in May 2026.

The victims were Robert Shine, 69, Chitta Morse, 79, and John Carse, 69.

According to authorities, Shine was found partially submerged in a cement pond after suffering injuries. Morse, a close friend of Shine who had reportedly allowed Baker to stay on his property, was also killed. Carse was discovered approximately 19 miles away and had suffered sharp-force trauma.

The killings triggered a large multi-agency manhunt.

On May 28, 2026, Hawaii police located Baker hiding inside a small cave and arrested him.

A grand jury subsequently indicted Baker on 11 charges, including one count of first-degree murder alleging multiple killings, three counts of second-degree murder, and additional burglary, auto-theft, and criminal-property-damage charges.

Questions about Baker’s mental condition have also become part of the proceedings. Acquaintances reportedly described concerning behavior before the killings, and Baker was initially unresponsive during a court appearance. A judge ordered a mental-fitness evaluation.

Baker has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail while the court addresses his fitness to stand trial and criminal responsibility. The allegations against him have not yet been proven at trial.

Robert Shine, Chitta Morse, and John Carse were three human beings, not background characters in a story about a manhunt or a cave. Three men are dead. Their names belong at the center of this fucking case.