When former Kaua‘i resident John Elwin rode horses that belonged to America’s Most Wanted’s John Walsh, he didn’t know he would appear on the host’s TV show for events surrounding his death. Elwin was identified after his body was exhumed
When former Kaua‘i resident John Elwin rode horses that belonged to America’s Most Wanted’s John Walsh, he didn’t know he would appear on the host’s TV show for events surrounding his death.
Elwin was identified after his body was exhumed in the Philippines in an unmarked grave in October.
He died from a fatal bullet wound to the back of the head in the capital city of Manila. His murder will be featured on AMW at 8 p.m. Saturday on Fox, the same day the family is having a memorial for him on the North Shore.
Elwin, 51, was last seen alive with Hank Jacinto on a trip to the Philippines in the summer. Jacinto had met Elwin 12 years earlier, within the polo community. He returned without Elwin and was allegedly using his property, including several of Elwin’s polo horses, for which he has been charged with first-degree identity theft, forgery and theft. He is being held without bond awaiting trial Jan. 22 in Honolulu Circuit Court.
It was the egregious, defiant act of using a missing man’s horses that set a chain of events into motion to try to unearth the truth behind where Elwin was, Walsh said.
“I have seen a lot of child molesters and serial killers, but I had never seen anything like this,” Walsh said. “(Jacinto) came back and played with the polo mallets I helped John pick out.”
The Honolulu Police Department is still looking into the disappearances of two other associates of Jacinto’s who are missing, spokeswoman Michelle Yu has said. HPD has reopened a 16-year missing person case, that of Arthur Young, and is keeping a one-year missing person case open, that of Douglas Ho. Jacinto and his girlfriend, Debbie Anagaran, both were reported to have been living in Young’s house after it was transferred into Anagaran’s name.
Both Ho and Young traveled to the Philippines before they were reported missing.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Hank Jacinto has been doing this his whole life. Every part of his life is a lie. I think we’re dealing with a serial killer.” Walsh said.
Walsh, who hosted Elwin at his ranch before he was killed, said the show gets hundreds of cases a week from victims’ families, but only chooses a select few.
Without the help of the media, Walsh said, criminals would be able to thumb their noses at society.
“We believe that if he wasn’t behind bars, he would be laughing at everyone,” he said.
Walsh said without people coming forward, questions remain unanswered. He commended the dedication the 30-year friend Luis Soltren gave in helping investigate what happened to Elwin.
“Without him, we would never know. Trust me,” he said. “Elwin’s family wouldn’t have known he was murdered and buried in an unmarked grave.”
• Amanda C. Gregg, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or agregg@kauaipubco.com.
