Big Isle woman, 21, shot to death

Big Island police are investigating the death of a 21-year-old Puna woman found in her home Tuesday with a gunshot wound to her head.

A friend found Kaycee M. Smith in her Orchidland Estates home at about 8:40 a.m. Police said she lived alone.

An autopsy concluded Smith's death was a homicide.

Smith was involved in rodeo during her high school years. She previously worked at Del's Farm Supply in Hilo.

On June 19, 2007, her father, Noel “;Bear”; Smith, 45, of Kurtistown died in a single-car crash three hours after he was suspected to have fatally shot Jeremy Napoleon, 28, of Puna. Police recovered a firearm at the crash site. Detectives confirmed it was related to the shooting.

Anyone who has information on the shooting involving Kaycee Smith is asked to call Lt. Mitchell Kanehailua at 961-2252.

Visiting hikers find man's body

Kauai police are investigating the death of a 52-year-old Lihue man found yesterday at the bottom of Opaekaa Falls.

Authorities have not yet identified the man.

A Kauai news release said the man's body was found at about 10:15 a.m. by two visitors hiking in the area. A fire helicopter lifted the body to a nearby park, and the man was taken by ambulance to Wilcox Hospital.

Senior and dog rescued from trails

Firefighters rescued a dog and a senior citizen from hiking trails yesterday in separate incidents, a fire official said.

At about 11:50 a.m. a 14-month-old golden Labrador retriever named Lani was walking with her two owners when she slipped from a steep ridge on Tripler Ridge Trail and could not climb back up, said Honolulu fire Capt. Terry Seelig.

Firefighters rappelled about 50 feet below the ridge to reach the dog and used a helicopter to lift her back onto the trail. Seelig said the dog was not injured.

At about 12:10 p.m. firefighters responded to help a man in his 70s who became lost while cutting bamboo with a friend on an Aina Haina trail, Seelig said.

The man was separated from his friend and could not find his way out, Seelig said.

A fire helicopter lowered rescuers onto the trail. The firefighters found the man about 15 minutes from the trail head and walked him out.

The man appeared dehydrated and was treated by paramedics, Seelig said.

Man charged with prostituting girl

A 46-year-old Honolulu man has been charged with sexually assaulting and promoting the prostitution of a 13-year-old girl, according to police.

Felix Thaxton of a Kapiolani Boulevard address was charged Thursday with two counts of first-degree sexual assault, two counts of third-degree sexual assault, criminal solicitation and two counts of first-degree promoting prostitution. He was being held on $250,000 bail.

Police booked Thaxton after the girl reported the assault on Tuesday.

He has convictions for promoting dangerous drugs and driving without a license.

Wahiawa market robber is sought

Police are looking for a man who robbed a Wahiawa market at gunpoint at about 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Police said the man entered the store, brandished a handgun and demanded money from the cashier. The man got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The cashier saw a green Honda CRV speed out of the parking lot, police said.