Beneath the Palms: Hawaii's True Crime, Mysteries & Untold History

Aku Bone Media
  • 3.1 (16)
  • True Crime
  • Updated Weekly

Beneath the Palms explores Hawaii’s true crime cases, unsolved mysteries, disappearances, historical injustices, and stories too often left in the shadows. From cold cases and notorious crimes to forgotten events that shaped the islands, each episode looks beyond paradise to the people, places, and truths still waiting to be remembered. 🎧 New episodes every Tuesday at 5AM HST. Darkness may linger beneath the palms, but so does hope.

  1. 1d ago

    Karen Stitt Murder: Gary Ramirez, DNA and the 1982 Sunnyvale Cold Case

    Karen Stitt was 15 when she was murdered in Sunnyvale, California, in September 1982. The Pennsylvania transplant loved rock music, rode the El Camino bus routes on her own, and was building a new life in California. After an ordinary night with her boyfriend, she headed for a bus home and never made it. For decades, Karen's murder remained a Bay Area cold case. Preserved blood and biological evidence eventually led investigators through DNA testing and investigative genetic genealogy to Gary Gene Ramirez, then living on Maui. A direct DNA comparison after his 2022 arrest confirmed the match; in 2025, Ramirez pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and received life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. This episode keeps Karen at the center: the girl in the rock T-shirts, the copper ring a former boyfriend kept for decades, the Rush cap she borrowed that last night, and the people who never stopped remembering her. Listener discretion: sexual assault and murder of a minor, significant violence, and a brief reference to suicide. Sources: The Murder of Karen Stitt | Santa Clara County District Attorney https://da.santaclaracounty.gov/murder-karen-stitt Gary Ramirez Complaint and Statement of Facts https://files.santaclaracounty.gov/migrated/RAMIREZ_C2209665_COMPLAINT-SOF_Redacted.pdf Karen Stitt's Friends, Family Remember a Vibrant Soul Who Was Brutally Murdered | The Almanac https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2022/08/19/karen-stitts-friends-family-remember-a-vibrant-soul-who-was-brutally-murdered/ Makawao Man to Be Extradited to California | The Maui News https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2022/08/makawao-man-to-be-extradited-to-california/ Badass Detective: Karen Stitt Cold Case | ABC News 20/20 https://abcnews.com/video/129033776/ A Man From Hawaii Convicted of 1982 Murder of Karen Stitt | Santa Clara County DA https://da.santaclaracounty.gov/hawaiian-man-convicted-1982-murder-karen-stitt Elderly Man Sentenced for the 1982 Murder of Karen Stitt | Santa Clara County DA https://da.santaclaracounty.gov/elderly-man-sentenced-1982-murder-karen-stitt Hawaii Man Gets Life Sentence in Karen Stitt Murder | Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-12/hawaii-man-gets-life-sentence-for-raping-and-murdering-15-year-old-california-girl Cold Case Killer Pleads No Contest | The Mercury News https://da.santaclaracounty.gov/mercury-news-cold-case-killer-pleads-no-contest-stabbing-sunnyvale-girl-59-times-1982 Historical newspaper coverage: San Francisco Chronicle, Sept. 4, 1982; Oakland Tribune, Sept. 5, 1982; San Francisco Examiner, Nov. 15, 1982; Peninsula Times Tribune, July 27, 1985. https://www.newspapers.com/ Music: "Broken Wings" by Yoza, used with permission. #KarenStitt #GaryRamirez #ColdCase #GeneticGenealogy #BeneathThePalms

  2. Sep 29

    Matthew Joel Peak Murder: The Unsolved Waipio Valley, Hawaii Cold Case | Buried in Paradise

    Matthew Joel Peak was 22 years old when his life ended in Waipio Valley, Hawaii. In 1999, he was living between Waipio and Puna, often hitchhiking through Hilo and sleeping in a simple camp in the valley. On June 1, beachgoers found a body buried in the sand near the beach. Fingerprints gave that body a name: Matthew. What followed became one of Hawaii Island’s enduring cold cases. His death was ruled a homicide after investigators determined he died from asphyxia due to homicidal violence. No suspect has ever been publicly identified, and more than 25 years later, police are still asking for the one memory, conversation, ride, or detail that could matter. Buried in Paradise goes beyond the case file to look at the young man behind the photograph, the life he was living in Waipio, the rumors that grew around his death, and the line between what people said and what investigators could actually prove. If you knew Matthew, saw him around Waipio, Hilo, or Puna, gave him a ride, or remember anything from 1999 that may help, contact the Hawaii Police Unsolved Homicides Division at 808-961-2380, Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300, or unsolvedhomicides@hawaiipolice.gov. Case F-96184. Sources:Matthew Peak Murder (F-96184), Hawaii Police Departmenthttps://www.hawaiipolice.gov/matthew-peak-murder-f-96184/Waipio Body Found Update 06/04/99, Hawaii Police Departmenthttps://www.hawaiipolice.com/waipio-body-found-update-060499Waipio Body Found Update 06/05/99, Hawaii Police Departmenthttps://www.hawaiipolice.com/waipio-body-found-update-060599Waipio Body Update 08/03/99, Hawaii Police Departmenthttps://www.hawaiipolice.com/waipio-body-update-080399Mystery of Waipio Valley murder still unsolved 25 years later, KHON2https://www.khon2.com/hawaiis-unsolved-murders/mystery-of-waipio-valley-murder-still-unsolved-25-years-later/Newspapers.com archival coverage: Hawaii Tribune-Herald, “Waipio Valley body identified” (June 6, 1999), “Foul play suspected in death” (Aug. 4, 1999), “Fear and loathing in Waipio Valley” (Nov. 15, 1999), “Police still seeking leads in these likely homicides” (May 25, 2003); Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “Police identify Waipio Valley body” (June 8, 1999); Honolulu Star-Bulletin, “Autopsy report due today on body found in Waipio” (June 4, 1999).https://www.newspapers.com/Wet and Wild: Waipio Valley, Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-11-03-tr-60670-story.html Music: “Broken Wings” by Yoza, used with permission. #MatthewPeak #WaipioValley #HawaiiTrueCrime #UnsolvedMurder #ColdCase

  3. Sep 22

    Who Killed Lynn Ebisuzaki? The Unsolved 1987 Hilo Murder | Hawaii True Crime Cold Case

    Who killed Lynn Ebisuzaki? In 1987, the 26-year-old Hilo woman stepped away from a home she was visiting and never came back. Police found her body nearby, and nearly four decades later her murder remains unsolved. This episode of Beneath the Palms revisits the Lynn Ebisuzaki cold case from the beginning: the life she built in Hilo, her work, her years helping children at church, the timeline on May 1, 1987, the unidentified man seen near Hilo Airport with a bleeding hand, the original composite sketches, forensic evidence, and the later witness account involving another unidentified man seen arguing with Lynn before her death. But this is not just a Hawaii cold case. Lynn was a daughter, sister, coworker, friend, and a familiar presence in her church community. People remembered her as quiet, friendly, caring and kind. When she died, people lined the street to say goodbye. If you have information about Lynn's murder, contact Hawaii Police Detective Sybastian Keltner at 808-961-2326 or Sybastian.Keltner@hawaiipolice.gov. Anonymous tips: Crime Stoppers, 808-961-8300. Sources:Police Renew Request for Information Regarding 1987 Unsolved Homicide in Hilohttps://www.hawaiipolice.gov/police-renew-request-for-information-regarding-1987-unsolved-homicide-in-hilo/Lynn Ebisuzaki Murder C-60060https://www.hawaiipolice.gov/lynn-ebisuzaki-murder-c-60060/Who killed Lynn Ebisuzaki? Victim in unsolved 1987 murder 'was a very kind person'https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2024/02/25/hawaii-news/who-killed-lynn-ebisuzaki-victim-in-unsolved-1987-murder-was-a-very-kind-person/Lynn Emiko Ebisuzaki Obituary Archivehttps://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/obituaries/8984/Woman murdered in Hilo, May 3, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Police Beat, May 3, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/2 murder cases on Big Island, May 4, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Possible suspect is sought, May 5, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Police describe suspect in slaying of woman, May 5, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Man sought, May 6, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Isle murders on the increase, July 23, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/Not 'outdoor shower,' August 11, 1987https://www.newspapers.com/ Music: Yoza, "Broken Wings" | @yozamusic | https://yozamusic.com/ #LynnEbisuzaki #HawaiiTrueCrime #UnsolvedMurder #ColdCase #TrueCrimePodcast

  4. Sep 15

    Gill Jamieson Murder: Myles Fukunaga, the 1928 Punahou Kidnapping, Race and Hawaii’s Death Penalty

    Gill Jamieson. Myles Fukunaga. Punahou. Honolulu, 1928. A ten-year-old boy leaves school after being told his mother has been hurt. He never comes home. Gill Jamieson was more than the child at the center of one of Hawaii’s most disturbing early true crime cases. He traveled with his father, went to birthday parties, learned piano, and had a life that should have stretched far beyond September 18, 1928. Instead, 19-year-old Myles Fukunaga took him from Punahou, killed him, demanded ransom from his family, and confessed after investigators traced the money back to him. But the case did not end with the confession. Fukunaga’s rapid trial, questions about his mental condition, the racial climate of territorial Hawaii, the response of Hawaii’s Japanese community, his appeals, and his 1929 execution turned Gill’s murder into a debate about guilt, due process, race, mental illness, and capital punishment. This episode of Beneath the Palms goes back before the headlines to restore Gill as a child first, while following the full case from kidnapping and investigation through trial, execution, and the questions that remain nearly a century later. Sources and further reading:Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser and Hawaii Tribune-Herald historical coverage via Newspapers.comhttps://www.newspapers.com/Fukunaga v. Territory of Hawaii, 33 F.2d 396 (9th Cir. 1929)https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/33/396/1497158/Raced to Death in 1920s Hawaii: Injustice and Revenge in the Fukunaga Case, Jonathan Y. Okamurahttps://academic.oup.com/illinois-scholarship-online/book/33883Fukunaga case, Densho Encyclopediahttps://encyclopedia.densho.org/Fukunaga%20caseMyles Fukunaga: Racism in Hawaii, Then and Now, Hawaii Public Radiohttps://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/arts-culture/2019-10-08/myles-fukunaga-racism-in-hawaii-then-and-nowPoor Innocent Lad: The Tragic Death of Gill Jamieson and the Execution of Myles Fukunaga, Mike Farrishttps://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Poor-Innocent-Lad/Mike-Farris/9781949135015Hawaii State Archiveshttps://ags.hawaii.gov/archives/Preservation Month: Iconic Oahu Cemetery Celebrates its 175th Anniversary, Historic Hawaii Foundationhttps://historichawaii.org/article/preservation-month-iconic-o%CA%BBahu-cemetery-celebrates-its-175th-anniversary-this-august/Moiliili Japanese Cemetery, Historic Hawaii Foundationhttps://historichawaii.org/historic-property-oa/moiliili-japanese-cemetery/ Listener discretion: This episode discusses the kidnapping and murder of a child, suicide and mental-health concerns, racial prejudice, capital punishment, and execution. #GillJamieson #MylesFukunaga #HawaiiTrueCrime #Punahou #TrueCrimeHistory

  5. Sep 8

    Simon Owen Disappearance: The Missing Hawaii Hiker Who Vanished at Manoa Falls

    Simon Owen was 21 when he vanished near the Manoa Falls Trail on Oahu in June 1994. He had survived a broken neck, rebuilt his future, traveled through the Amazon and Europe, and come to Hawaii for a summer of work and adventure. Then his bicycle was found locked near the trail entrance, but Simon was nowhere to be found. This episode of Beneath the Palms follows the disappearance of Simon Owen, the young Texas Wesleyan University student who worked at Chili's in Waikiki and spent his free time exploring the island. Coworkers noticed when he missed work. His room was undisturbed, his money and personal belongings were left behind, and everything suggested he expected to return. Police officers, firefighters, volunteers, Army soldiers, Marines, climbers, helicopter crews, and dozens of Simon's coworkers searched Manoa Valley. His mother, Mitzi Lockett, flew from Texas, moved into his rented room, and helped lead searches for months. On the birthday she shared with her son, she carried two leis to the base of the falls. One was for her. The other was for Simon. Police have long believed Simon may have left the maintained trail and fallen into steep terrain hidden beneath the valley's dense canopy. No physical evidence has ever proven that theory. More than three decades later, he remains missing. This is not only the story of a missing Hawaii hiker. It is the story of a son, student, traveler, coworker, friend, and survivor whose family and classmates have never allowed the mystery to become his entire identity. If you have information about Simon Owen or remember seeing him around Waikiki or Manoa in late June 1994, contact the Honolulu Police Department. Sources Lack of Evidence Makes Solving Cases Difficulthttps://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Apr/14/ln/ln12a.html Simon Owenhttps://charleyproject.org/case/simon-owen Missing: Simon Owen | Honolulu, HIhttps://uncovered.com/cases/simon-owen Police Recognize Top Officers of Yearhttps://archives.starbulletin.com/2005/05/19/news/index8.html Simon Owen Memorial Scholarshiphttps://www.gofundme.com/f/simon-owen-memorial-scholarship Remote Viewing Newsletter: Simon Owenhttps://hrvg.org/newsletter/2002-09/feature.html Contemporary Newspaper Archive: Simon Owen Coverage, 1994 to 1996https://www.newspapers.com/ Research, writing, and production by Aku Bone Media. Narration by Jubilee Lum. Closing music, "Broken Wings," courtesy of Yoza. #SimonOwen #MissingPerson #ManoaFalls #HawaiiTrueCrime #BeneathThePalms

  6. Sep 1

    The Palmyra Atoll Murders: Mac and Muff Graham, the Stolen Sea Wind and Two Different Verdicts

    The Palmyra Atoll Murders began as an adventure. In 1974, experienced sailors Malcolm “Mac” Graham and Eleanor “Muff” Graham reached remote Palmyra Atoll aboard their yacht, Sea Wind, expecting months of isolation in the Pacific. Instead, they vanished. Months later, the Sea Wind appeared in Hawaii with Buck Duane Walker and Stephanie Stearns aboard. The yacht had been altered and renamed, while Mac and Muff were nowhere to be found. Years later, Muff’s remains were discovered on Palmyra, leading to separate federal murder trials. Walker was convicted of Muff’s premeditated murder and sentenced to life. Stearns was tried separately and acquitted. Mac has never been found. This episode of Beneath the Palms independently rebuilds the Palmyra Atoll murders from contemporary Hawaii and mainland reporting, federal court records, and later reporting. It also examines how And the Sea Will Tell, written by Stearns’ defense attorney Vincent Bugliosi with Bruce Henderson, shaped the version of this case most people know today. This episode is dedicated to Ricky Griggs, with gratitude and respect for the work he gave to the Palmyra case. Thank you to Yoza for “Broken Wings.” SourcesUnited States v. Stephanie K. Stearns, 550 F.2d 1167https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/550/1167/309429/United States v. Stearns and Walker, 707 F.2d 391https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/707/391/230118/United States v. Walker, 546 F. Supp. 805https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/546/805/1870478/Despite Guilty Verdict, Mystery of Palmyra Lingers Onhttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-06-12-me-6125-story.htmlWalker Gets Life Sentence for Murder of S.D. Womanhttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-06-29-me-9816-story.htmlWoman Acquitted in Island Slayinghttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-03-02-me-1487-story.html1974 Murder Victim Still Awaits Burialhttps://www.cruisingworld.com/1974-murder-victim-still-awaits-burial/Newspapers.com archive: Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii Tribune-Herald, Connecticut Post, AP and UPI coveragehttps://www.newspapers.com/And the Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi and Bruce Hendersonhttps://brucehendersonbooks.com/books/and-the-sea-will-tell/ #PalmyraAtoll #HawaiiTrueCrime #TrueCrime #MacAndMuffGraham #AndTheSeaWillTell

  7. Aug 25

    Lisa Bissell Murder (Kauai) — Polihale Road Cold Case and the West Kauai Attacks (April 7, 2000)

    Lisa Bissell was 38 when she was found on April 7, 2000—stabbed in a ditch off a roadway leading toward Polihale on Kauai. This episode follows the documented timeline that’s publicly available, then widens to the 2000 West Kauai violence cluster discussed in reporting, including the Kekaha attempted sexual assault where a surviving victim helped generate a composite sketch, and the later homicide near Pakala Beach that intensified public concern and investigative scrutiny. This episode contains factual reporting on a homicide and an unresolved investigation. Some details may be disturbing. What follows is reconstructed from documented reporting and attributed official statements described in those reports, available at the time of release; some details may change as new information emerges. A clearly labeled Speculation Lane appears later, separate from the verified timeline. Listener discretion is advised. If you have information related to this case, you can contact the Kauai County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney’s cold case line and investigators as listed on their official cold case page. Sources: Kauai County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney — Cold Case: “2000 – Lisa Bissell” (official case summary and tip contact info) Honolulu Star-Bulletin — “Kauai may have a serial killer” (Sept. 1, 2000) Honolulu Star-Bulletin — “Kauai’s unsolved slayings have police on the defensive” (Oct. 28, 2000) Los Angeles Times — “Kauai Killings Remind Women That Avoiding Danger Is Up to Them” (Apr. 29, 2001) #BeneathThePalms #TrueCrimePodcast #Kauai #Polihale #WestKauai #ColdCase #UnsolvedMurder #HawaiiTrueCrime #KauaiPolice #MissingAndMurdered #JusticeForLisaBissell #IslandCrime #HawaiiPodcast

  8. Aug 18

    The Cliff, the Syringes, and the Surgeon | Hawaii Doctor Gerhardt Konig and Arielle Konig’s Pali Puka Trail Attack

    The Cliff, the Syringes, and the Surgeon | Revisited On March 24, 2025, Arielle Konig went hiking above Nuʻuanu with her husband, Maui anesthesiologist Gerhardt Konig. What began as a birthday trip ended with Arielle severely injured on the Pali Puka Trail, two hikers moving toward her screams, and an all-day search that ended with her husband’s arrest. This fully rewritten episode follows the marriage before the trail, Arielle’s account of being forced toward the cliff, the alleged syringe, the rock attack, her rescue, the investigation, divorce proceedings, and the 2026 trial. Gerhardt admitted striking his wife with the rock but denied trying to inject her or push her over the edge. A jury rejected attempted murder and convicted him of attempted manslaughter based on extreme mental or emotional disturbance. The case is not legally finished. His attorneys have asked the court to overturn the conviction and order a new trial, citing jurors’ public comments and an unverified claim involving the trial livestream. As of this episode’s recording, he remains convicted and in custody, but has not been sentenced. This story centers Arielle not as courtroom evidence, but as a mother, engineer, working professional, and survivor. It also remembers the two strangers who heard a voice in danger and chose to walk toward it. Listener discretion: This episode contains descriptions of domestic violence, attempted killing, severe physical assault, suicidal statements, and allegations involving medical equipment. Sources Maui woman details alleged attack by husband on Oahu hiking trail Grand jury indicts Maui doctor for allegedly trying to kill wife on trail Gerhardt Konig News Updates and Trial Coverage Hawaii doctor’s son says father confessed he “tried to kill” wife Jury begins deliberations in trial over Maui doctor accused of trying to kill wife Doctor accused of trying to kill wife on hike found guilty Hawaii doctor accused of trying to kill his wife convicted of attempted manslaughter Honolulu Star-Advertiser coverage: March 25, 27, 28, 29 and April 1, 2025; May 27, 2025; March 20, 25, 26, April 9 and May 23, 2026 Help Arielle Konig Heal After Tragic Incident Music: “Broken Wings” by Yoza. #GerhardtKonig #ArielleKonig #HawaiiTrueCrime #PaliPukaTrail #BeneathThePalms

See All (77)

Trailer

3.1
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Beneath the Palms explores Hawaii’s true crime cases, unsolved mysteries, disappearances, historical injustices, and stories too often left in the shadows. From cold cases and notorious crimes to forgotten events that shaped the islands, each episode looks beyond paradise to the people, places, and truths still waiting to be remembered. 🎧 New episodes every Tuesday at 5AM HST. Darkness may linger beneath the palms, but so does hope.

Information

You Might Also Like