HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – HNN is investigating new revelations about the Maui Police Department’s handling of human remains after the Lahaina fire.

While the department is adamant the victims “were treated with the utmost respect, dignity and professionalism,” we have received emails documenting the apparent confusion.

In this case, the family asked to remain anonymous, but told us that when they buried their loved one, they felt like they were given all the remains.

A string of emails suggests otherwise.

On September 18, 2023, an MPD-contracted pathologist sent an email from a personal Gmail account to an employee of the department’s then-contractor, Gray Tech LLC. It was claimed that the remains originally believed to belong to one person actually belonged to someone else.

To protect the identity of the families involved, we have redacted all identifying information.

The email read: “The extra bones are not from (name of female victim).” The pathologist went on to explain: “The bones are genetically linked to (name of male victim).”

By that time, records show MPD had already relinquished custody of both sets of remains to two different morgues.

When asked who approved that, Grey Tech owner Greyson Abarra explained the process by saying, “There has to be law enforcement and the medical examiner’s approval.”

The email went on to say that the remains of the male victim to whom the bones actually belonged were left at a morgue nearly three weeks before the additional remains were discovered.

When the morgue employee asked if he should explain the situation at the morgue, the pathologist replied “use your discretion.”

In an email sent later that morning, the morgue employee gave the pathologist this update: “The remains of (name of male victim) are still at the morgue.”

With funeral services scheduled, there seemed to be a rush to reunite the newly discovered remains with the remains that had already been released to the funeral home.

The mortuary employee wrote: “Hopefully we can get to (mortuary name) in time.”

We asked the Maui Police Department why the partial remains of the fire victims were released to the morgue before all DNA testing was completed. The department did not respond to our inquiry.

About a week and a half later, the same mortuary employee emailed the mortuary staff.

She wrote: “I spoke to (name of mortuary employee) earlier today and told him that the remains of (name of male victim) are being released and can be picked up on Monday. However, it has been determined (about an hour ago today) that the remains of (name of male victim) cannot be released due to the inability to separate only his remains. Therefore, what we have been waiting for at this point will remain in the custody of the Maui Police and will be dispersed with other ‘group remains’ at a later date.”

The morgue employee then asked if the victim’s family was under the impression that more remains would be joined with the remains that had already been transferred, saying she wanted to make sure the family received an explanation.

She wrote: “I want to make sure that the right person, ie the MPD or a pathologist, gives an explanation to the family as to what was found and why the remains cannot be joined with the deceased.”

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The Maui Police Department says “no remains have been released without absolute certainty of identification” and that families have been “carefully informed.”

Meanwhile, the family in the case told HNN Investigates that they were unaware the department was still in possession of some of their loved ones’ remains.

Camron Hurt leads the government watchdog group Common Cause Hawaii.

“I am heartbroken. I’m heartbroken,” he said. “What is even more disturbing is that the families of the victims do not know where all the remains of their loved ones are.”

HNN Investigates asked Hurt what questions he had.

“I have so many questions,” he said. “Why weren’t the families told?”

He said it is of utmost importance that families are told the truth, “At the most basic level. It is the loved one. It is the final closure. Whether you are spiritual or not. Getting the remains of your loved ones – and being able to say goodbye to them is the least anyone could ask for.”

Hurt went on to say, “It really makes you question the kind of leadership we have.”

We asked Chief John Pelletier to sit down with us for an on-camera interview to discuss the apparent missteps the department made during the recovery, identification and family reunification processes.

Our request was denied.

Other questions that MPD would not answer:

1. How many cases is the department aware of where families did not receive all of the remains of their loved ones because some of those remains were mixed with other remains and could not be separated?
2. In those cases, were the families notified? If yes, when? And who was responsible for the notification?
3. How many human remains are still in the department’s care as part of what MPD refers to as “group remains”?
4. Have the families of these victims been notified that their loved ones are part of those “group remnants”?
5. What does the department intend to do with the “remains of the group?”

The records reveal, instead of using experienced recovery teams, MPD management ordered officers and officer recruits to collect the remains of fire victims despite not having adequate training.

Statements provided by Maui police show the department did not always follow county protocols.

HNN Investigates confirmed that identification numbers that should have been issued – immediately after a victim was discovered – were not assigned until they had been moved at least two different times. The department’s leadership also admits that photos of the scene and GPS coordinates were not obtained in all cases. We have also confirmed cases where body bags were not used to move the dead from their final resting place.

In a recent email, the department now claims its responses were “misrepresented” or taken “out of context.” Vague allegations that the department did not support with specific examples.

In the same email, spokeswoman Alana Pico said, “We will have no further comment on this matter.”

Meanwhile, HNN Investigates claims that the information reported in this series of stories is supported by eyewitness accounts, interviews conducted within Attorney General’s investigation and the MPD’s After Action Report.

“I want to be very clear. It is not the fault of the officers here. It’s very much the fault of the leadership, the management from the boss down,” Camron Hurt said.

Hurt says the only way to make sure this doesn’t happen again is to address the issue publicly. So we can learn from apparent mistakes.

Up to this point, the Maui Police Commission has remained largely silent on the issue.

Hurt said: “Silence will not save you. We are listening. We are careful. We are focused. We want answers.”

The police commission is one of the only agencies that has the authority to call Maui’s police chief and have him answer questions in a public forum.

HNN Investigates has repeatedly asked the commission if this will happen at its next meeting on November 20. We are waiting for a response.

Meanwhile, Common Cause Hawaii has launched a social media campaign calling for transparency. In an effort to get answers, the watchdog group is encouraging the public to attend next week’s Maui Police Commission meeting.

It is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 10 a.m. at the Maui County Service Center on Alaihi Street in Kahului.

If you can’t attend in person, you can submit your testimony electronically here. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and under contact information you will find an email for the Maui Police Commission.

Below is HNN Investigates’ media request to MPD:

Below is MPD’s response to HNN Investigates:

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