Vandalism deemed HILO >> A Big Island murder suspect was the target of repeated vandalism by a neighbor and probably acted in self-defense in a shooting yesterday, friends said.
likely factor in
fatal shooting
Delan Perry of the Big Island is arrested
for his neighbor’s slayingBy Rod Thompson
rthompson@starbulletin.comThe Hawaii County prosecutor's office was to consider today whether to charge or release prominent Big Island papaya grower Delan "Rusty" Perry, of Kapoho, south of Hilo.
Perry, 55, was arrested yesterday for second-degree murder investigation after a neighbor was shot at 3:30 a.m., police said. The victim's name was not immediately released.
The shooting took place at Perry's home, police said. Perry's wife, Jennifer, reported the shooting to police. Perry was waiting for officers when they arrived and was taken into custody without incident, police said.
Perry was not immediately charged but was held in the Hilo cellblock overnight.
Detectives investigated the case throughout the day and turned it over to prosecutors late yesterday to determine whether charges should be filed.
Friends and business associates were stunned by the news.
"It must have been self-defense. (Murder) is completely beyond the nature of the guy," said Puna District community leader Jon Olson.
Former Papaya Administrative Committee executive Emerson Llantero was shocked at the news. "Wow! I would like to believe it would be self-defense," he said.
A neighbor had vandalized Perry's property about eight times, Llantero said. The incidents included Perry's truck being shot at and hit by bullets, all his tires being shot out and all the shade cloth being cut on a new greenhouse for orchids, Llantero said.
Jennifer Perry showed Llantero the prior vandalism Saturday when he visited Perry's papaya farm home, he said.
Later in the weekend, the vandal hit again, cutting down 1,000 papaya trees during the night, Llantero said. Puna District police Capt. Elroy Osorio Jr. confirmed the vandalism.
Llantero warned Perry he was in danger at the isolated house, several miles from the nearest highway. "I told him, 'You'd better protect yourself,'" Llantero said.
Perry reported the vandalism cases to police, but he said they did not do anything, Llantero said.
Osorio said patrol officers turned some cases over to detectives for further investigation, but in several instances there were no leads to follow.
Perry has been farming since 1974, according to his Web site. Besides papayas and orchids, he grows citrus and bananas. He is president of four agricultural organizations.
Perry is an applicant for the chairmanship of the state Department of Agriculture, said banana grower Richard Ha.
"He's a really even-tempered kind of mellow guy," Ha said. "To hear this is a total shock."
County of Hawaii
