KOKE‘E — A man suspected of killing his father in Lawa‘i fled to the mountains in Koke‘e State Park, where the Department of Land and Natural Resources had established a perimeter near the first lookout on Thursday afternoon.
Police initiated a search for Kody Kalei Gardner, a 22-year-old Lawa‘i man wanted for a homicide that occurred near the end of Kuilei Street on Thursday morning.
The victim was identified by the Kaua‘i Police Department as 52-year-old Delwood Kalei Gardner of Kahili Mountain, the soccer coach at Waimea High School, and the suspect’s father.
Police said Kody Gardner fled the scene of the crime in a white 2017 GMC pickup truck with license plate number 210TWJ, later located in Koke‘e State Park.
The Garden Island spotted that vehicle being towed down Koke‘e Road near Kekaha at around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by a police escort.
The road to the first lookout in Koke‘e was blocked by a DLNR vehicle at around 1 p.m., and a representative reported there was “an incident” in progress.
The incident led to Waimea High School going on lockdown due to what officials called an “abundance of caution.”
“We are saddened by the tragic news of the passing of our boys’ soccer coach, (Delwood) Kalei Gardner, who was a dear part of our Waimea community. We extend our heartfelt condolences and aloha to the Gardner ‘ohana. Out of respect for the family, we ask that you allow them time to grieve,” wrote Waimea High School Principal Mahina Anguay in a letter on their website.
The Waimea High School lockdown was lifted at 12:13 p.m.
The victim’s daughter Britney Fujioka responded to a Facebook post about the search.
“Let me address it here,” she wrote in a post.
“YES, this is my brother YES, he killed my dad, YES he’s mentally unstable.”
Vance Pascua, a family friend of the victim, confirmed that Delwood Kalei Gardner was the brother of Moses “Lono” Gardner, whose body was discovered in Koke‘e in May 2022 after he went missing while gathering maile.
Kody Kalei Gardner is of Asian ancestry, 5-feet-4-inches tall, 120 pounds with black hair, black eyes, and slim build.
The public is advised to not approach the suspect. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call 911.
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Guthrie Scrimgeour, reporter, can be reached at 808-647-0329 or gscrimgeour@thegardenisland.com.
