Surveillance video appears to show 2 murder suspects in Waikiki before they fled

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Citing a lack of probable cause, Los Angeles authorities have released one of the two suspects arrested in California following a grisly murder at an East Honolulu home.

HNN has confirmed that 34-year-old Scott Hannon was released Thursday from the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The second suspect, Juan Tejedor Baron, 23, remained locked up.

Baron is being held with no bail because he is an out-of-state fugitive.

The two were arrested Wednesday after fleeing to California.

HPD said it worked with U.S. Marshals and the Los Angeles Police Department to track them down.

Authorities said Baron was in Anaheim and allegedly trying to flee to Mexico on a Greyhound bus.

They said he was found in a crawl space after he pulled back a metal plate and hid under an enclosed bench seat. Meanwhile, Hannon was arrested at an intersection in Inglewood.

New surveillance video released late Wednesday appears to show Hannon and Baron walking around a Waikiki hotel on Monday afternoon.

The two were seen in the video holding hands and casually walking around the hotel.

The suspects were captured a day after they were last seen by Honolulu police officers.

The men were questioned by police late Monday but then released about 1 a.m. Tuesday ― before authorities discovered the body in the Hawaii Loa Ridge home. Sources say officers then gave the suspects a ride to Waikiki from the scene while detectives were investigating the crime.

There apparently wasn’t enough probable cause at that time to arrest or detain the men and police wanted their car so officers shuttled them to Waikiki but did not assign the men a plainclothes tail.

That allowed the suspects to slip to the airport and jump on a plane for California.

Now that they’re in California, the process of bringing them back to Honolulu begins. “They’ll both go through an extradition hearing, probably will be a no-bail warrant,” said Tommy Aiu, law enforcement expert. “Some HPD detectives will probably go there ... and bring them back for prosecution.”

Lt. Deena Thoemmes, of the Honolulu Police Department Criminal Investigation Division, has said Baron has a residence in Texas and Hannon traveled with a passport but had a Massachusetts address.

The victim is believed to be the 73-year-old owner of the Lelekepue Place property.

His body was found in a standalone bathtub that had been filled with concrete. Coffee grounds were on top of the concrete, likely to hide the smell of decomposition.

“When we entered, we smelled coffee no doubt,“ Thoemmes said. “The body was in the standalone tub and it was in a state of decomposition once we chipped away at the concrete mixture.”

Police also say the victim and younger suspect were in an intimate relationship.

Neighbors expressed shock Tuesday after hearing about the murder in the affluent community.

“I think it’s just absolutely terrible that that happened,” said a Hawaii Loa Ridge resident. “I mean, we’ve never had a serious crime like this happened before.”

“We’ve heard of small robberies, but never to something at this degree.”

Officers first responded to the home Monday morning for a welfare check in connection with a missing person’s case. At the scene, Baron claimed to reside at the residence.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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