Ex-prison guard
By Rod Ohira
is a suspect in
slaying, drug cases
Star BulletinA 35-year-old former state adult corrections officer, facing federal charges related to drug trafficking on the North Shore, is also a suspect in a Honolulu police murder investigation.
Capt. George McKeague described the suspect as a "major player" in drug dealings on the North Shore and confirmed that police today planned to search for evidence related to the June 1997 disappearance of Steven Tolzon, 35, and Tranquilino "Junior" Bati, 27.
Two other men, ages 20 and 33, were arrested yesterday in connection with the murder investigation.
The bodies of Tolzon and Bati are believed to be buried somewhere between Wahiawa and Waialua.
James France believes the case is connected to the disappearance of his brother, Paris, who was last seen late October 1997.
"He ran with them, was part of the group but wanted out," James France said of the three murder suspects whose names are known to him.
France said the group was "out to get" his brother because "he was going around talking too much about what happened to Tolzon." .
"It's about time," France said of the arrest of the three men.
Anderson Hee, acting homicide lieutenant, said Tolzon and the suspect were associates and that "some kind of dispute occurred between them. We believe it's drug related."
The former prison guard, who the state Public Safety officials say was terminated in 1996, and a total of 10 other people were arrested from Friday through yesterday on drug counts.
The charges range from first-degree promotion of dangerous drugs to third-degree promotion of detrimental drugs.
McKeague said a task force conducted an undercover operation leading to the execution of search warrants at three residences in Waialua and Haleiwa.
Police seized three firearms and "user" quantities of crystal methamphetamine and marijuana in the raids.
Police officially reclassified the investigation into the disappearances of Tolzon and Bati to a homicide case based on information obtained during the task-force operation.
Although police were aware of Bati's disappearance, he was not officially reported missing until late last year when his mother from Los Angeles came to Hawaii to file an official complaint, police said.
