HNN Investigates: Who Killed Dana Ireland?

HNN explores the renewed effort to find Dana Ireland’s killer ― after a key conviction was thrown out and new evidence was unearthed.
For more Local News from Hawaii News Now: HawaiiNewsNow.com
Follow HNN: / hawaiinews

[@soleilgorgeous9756]

And the real culprit who killed Dana was FREE for 33 years and just committed suicide after he was swabbed at the police station.. this case was so devastating and disappointing.. 😢😢😢 will there be justice for Dana Ireland? So sad..

[@soleilgorgeous9756]

I feel sad for Dana Ireland’s family and Schweitzer family… The justice system is so CORRUPT😢😢😢

[@angievincent3416]

Yes it’s tragic for everyone of them!

[@petersondorry]

I am from Pahoa town and went to high school with Ian and Frank and knew of Shawn. I left Pahoa after high school HI and ultimately became an attorney in WA state. Back then, I heard all the stories from friends and family, as well as local news stations about what was going on with the case. We all want to trust that the police know what they are doing, and especially the prosecution. Last year I started watching Judges for Justice on KZbin by retired Judge Michael Heavey, who I was very familiar with as I practiced in front of him as a public defense attorney back in the day. Each episode made me sick to my stomach to think what happened to my classmates and their families. I was also very angry about how law enforcement and the prosecutor's office had so much pressure on them to solve the case such that innocent people were being sacrificed for the sake of being able to say they solved the murder and justice has prevailed. But look at what happened!! My heart aches for Ian and Shawn in particular and I cannot begin to understand the pain and horror the Schweitzer family went through with having two of their sons charged with Ireland's murder. It warms my heart to see Ian's interviews and how much he places his faith in God because he needed something to believe in to keep his mind sane. I am so thankful that the truth is being revealed and that they have strong legal representation to clean this mess up. Now that the real suspect has killed himself once he realized the police were on to him, at least someone has been identified as the real murderer. I can only pray that God blesses Ian and Shawn and their ohana; guides their steps; comforts them; and heals them to live the rest of their lives with peace and happiness.

[@Cody-Fay]

Insane that they finally identified who the DNA belonged to. What a sad sad situation all around!

[@ruslanchirko4055]

😭

[@Kaniala-l7s]

Yeah, but he committed suicide

[@Jvilla3478]

So they let actual convicted sex offenders out for testimony in order to convict the brothers who weee never sex offenders historically. Terrible judgement from this pos DA office

[@hr5331]

Another sad part is the parents passed thinking these guys did it, can't correct/fix that... additional to the yrs of slander of these family names.

[@808bae99]

The prosecutor, judge and all the people that lied should go to jail Prosecutor shame on you! You was so sure it was them. But you was wrong! You should go to jail!

[@pascalswager9100]

Yep.... I'd rather see a guilty man go free than send an innocent man to prison. Reasonable doubt is what it says it is. There was definitely doubt.

[@Beck-Stein]

Those people that falsely accused the brothers should be back in prison.

[@nalaniaivao8679]

Those lying in-mates & Gonzalves driven by the prosecutor really did a number on this case. This is sad & i would've demanded justice from the prosecutor not because he's angry but because they mishandled this case from the gate. 50k a year will help him a lot but those attorneys need reprimanding.

[@manoamana67]

Wasn't one of the jailed witness found murdered in a field? The witnesses who piled on Ian are so pilau! How he must have felt when they lied about him.

[@barbarakaiwi8364]

I wonder if they can do a genetic genealogy?? I saw how detectives solved cold cases through genetic genealogy. Just like the guy who was caught in Las Vegas and he used to live here in Hawaii on Oahu Island. Can that be done in this case??

[@mrswhite808]

They now know.

[@rkgsd]

Just solved! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXLJf5mpf5qil5Ysi=LM7-UQm7i7JUQFkU

[@KristieLani]

It’s sad that they went to jail and the other guy was free …

[@ChloRuiz0720]

This is Horrible the prosecutor should be behind bars

[@leikilimaile2565]

so what your telling us is three men went to prison because one guy wanted a lighter drug sentence, and pointed the finger at them because he never like them and that the police department and the proscecuter didnt care about the truth just hanging somebody and the actual rapist murderer is still out there, this damn state so corrupt just like in the lisa au case.

[@billiejkamakea9625]

Yup exactly

[@rkgsd]

The real suspect just identified but killed himself! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXLJf5mpf5qil5Ysi=LM7-UQm7i7JUQFkU

[@kahakelii]

...And did anyone happen to look into Linclon Ashida, and the ties his "parents & family" have, and with who?.... It's pretty interesting....Almost "incriminating".....

[@crismaracana2824]

I was kind of thinking the same thing. That the real culprits are Lincoln Ishida and John Gonsalves for relentlessly pursuing and putting these guys in jail on hearsay and circumstantial evidence. Someone should prosecute him!

[@annagarza7299]

And the whole time they were innocent ,and the person that really did it was living life and not loosing sleep because 3 innocent people were in jail for what he did 😡

[@Komainu959]

To those who still think the first 3 were guilty. Come on now- read the evidence. Like none of their DNA was at the scene on a SA case...what? That the vehicle was a VW Beetle...even though how you gonna throw her into the trunk of a Beetle (remember 3 of them were in this tiny car). Also don't forget they were looking for a truck but then it was a Beetle...that they did not own till AFTER the incident happened. FFS.

[@MyKindofFun]

… and he didn’t even own the beetle until a month AFTER the crime. Witnesses say they saw a truck/van … how did they even make the bright yellow VW fit the crime?

[@jeffreyt76]

I can’t wait to find out more about Lauro and who the other guy he was with that day.

[@mistyakana6849]

@@jeffreyt76yes cuz the bite marks. The other person who claiming to have killed and raped ireland still alive n same last name as the drug dealer who pointed finger in the first place!

[@kawikadee9670]

The State of Hawaii owes that family lots of money for their bad decisions.

[@luckydubefan808]

Yes!!!

[@wp1722]

Prosecutor will outright lie to win a case, disgusting, there will be a special place in hell for them

[@tiaratinai6876]

This case was corrupted by dirty law enforcement and prosecutors doing someone’s evil bidding…shame on all of them.

[@rkgsd]

I'm sorry to report that the deputy prosecutor, Lincoln Ashida, is alive and well with a profile on LinkedIn. He was even allowed to teach at a university at one point.

[@jeffreyt76]

Cmon that shirt would not fit on Pauline.

[@SaraMontoya-i1v]

This is a trip now knowing he really had nothing to do with it. Utterly horrifying for everyone.

[@annagarza7299]

I hope he sues ????

[@lucbelcher7256]

That prosecutor and anyone else involved should all be prosecuted for lying in the court room. Absolutely awful! 💔

[@karlsuapaia1749]

💯

[@MyKindofFun]

Agreed

[@MyKindofFun]

I find this case so disturbing. These men were accused by a neighbor who was a drug dealer that they didn’t get along with for a “deal”. The dealers brother and an inmate that was an associate of his both back his story to get him a deal. Sickening … their car didn’t match nor was it owned until a month AFTER the crime. Witnesses say they saw a truck/van and somehow they made this bright yellow VW fit the crime. The bite mark, car, and DNA did not match any of them. So how did they spend THIRTY years in prison. On top of that … this guy released was a nurse a time, when that was not as common as it is now. It would have been more likely that he helped her, as opposed to raping and killing her. I think there is a lot of guilty parties involved. A lot of selfishness going on … and no regard for peoples lives. Ashida wanting to “disregard” the DNA. Test technology has improved from thirty years ago. But, it hasn’t changed the outcome … it DOES NOT MATCH. A drug dealer made a “deal”. A very shady deal. How did this even stand up …. who approved the deal and based on what supposed supporting evidence? They had NOTHING. This is outrageous, disturbing and heartbreaking 💔

[@jeffreyt76]

Who was a nurse?

[@MyKindofFun]

@@jeffreyt76 one of the brothers was a nurse at the time of the crime. Watch the video to the end

[@Beck-Stein]

Imagine all the BS he was witness too in prison

[@artnixie]

this is exactly like the Norfolk Four case, where four sailors were convicted of rape yet the all DNA matched a different guy, whom none of them had any connection with. It's also like the Central Park 5 case, exact same fact pattern. Prosecutors & police project their lurid gang rape fantasies in the name of "justice for the victim" and can't let go even when it's obviously a single perpetrator and none of the people they've arrested were even there. (There is a great Frontline you can watch for free online about the Norfolk Four called "The Confessions.")

[@kymtaylor5890]

I blame the judge for this because the judge all this evidence did not prove guilt of any kind

[@EdwardNakagawa]

SAD MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE *

[@Konacoffeedog]

OMG this is shocking injustice

[@Joanmarialauw]

Release the three that been wrongfully accused

[@palehua06]

You know what you can do with the blood sample with the unknown male is to submit it in to ancestry dna database or 23& me…see who the blood could be related too than you will have an idea 🤷🏽‍♀️js

[@808bae99]

@@palehua06 you was on spot with what you you said... And it worked! 💯 Spot on!

[@Bettinasisrg]

How did this take so long??? We've had DNA technology since the 1990s and good tech since the 2000s!! Once someone is convicted it is near impossible to right a wrong!? Sickening.

[@marcielynn4886]

Why only now?

[@andykerr3803]

Initially it seemed there might have been 4 perpetrators possibly... But no, even with the suicide of Lauro, certified male #2, it is clear there was nothing but lies against those three. The one dead in prison, certainly lied himself, but the two brothers were 100% innocent victims. Very sad. And the victim just riding her bike... You wonder what else Lauro did, while watchin 3 men rot?

[@manoamana67]

Why did the detectives stop looking for the Datsun pickup truck, the 8 to 10 year old boy and the man in his twenties who was seen putting a body in the truck at the first crime scene? At least three witnesses confirmed this. It is in police reports.

[@usernameryan5982]

That’s what is so insane about this. There were multiple eye witnesses about them with the truck and they did nothing with it.

[@shelbyrodrigues]

Polygraphs have been proven to not be effective at all. They are extremely out, out dated and not based off of repeatable science.

[@bril2115]

well they just confirmed the real killer a day ago, and it’s not them so!

[@brendatrump5163]

Dana was so beautiful, she reminds me of that girl in the Tom Petty video "Free Falling".

[@luckydubefan808]

Prosecutors office to this day still doing sloppy work on its cases.

[@dianazhora7357]

The Prosecutor had the gall to say that with more evidence he could prosecute the wrongfully convicted man again. What's wrong with him? He should work on finding the real killer.

[@superspecialty5169]

That can be can be a good thing, if an intelligent juror can see the lack of correct facts/situations for not following the other jurors lack of real world situations!

[@MyKindofFun]

@@dianazhora7357agreed … he needs to stop it already. These men have suffered enough.

[@magsnc2749]

Didnt one of these men come forward though with a confession? False or not. Not saying that anything done after confession was ok, but isnt that how they originally started with these men? Horrible situation all the way around. May this poor girl rest in peace.

[@MyKindofFun]

Watch the video again

[@ChloRuiz0720]

@@MyKindofFunliterally it’s in the video lol

[@hersheyssmith2104]

Did they sue the state? They have to to get millions so they can have sotmwhing to start on with their new life outside prison! Sorry is not enough, they need monetary compensation!

[@FN-ef4wb]

The justice system is shockingly rotten on certain levels. Wrongful conviction is a terrible crime by the State, which punishes the person, family and the entire community by a domino effect. The money compensation should at least be given within a week without any running around and harassment to the innocent person, who has been robbed of years of productive life. The man who was lynched and killed in prison should make those who convicted him repent on their knees! What about compensation to be paid to his family?

[@Ultorvindex]

Albert Lauro, Jr.

[@Lucille-ky9mp]

What a coincidence his name is Albert too!!

[@eyesofftiger645]

What a fail in justice system, those prosecutors needs to lose their jobs if they’re still working

[@RossellaPerry]

This case needs to be investigated .Why did he plead guilt? If they where there they have guilt also .They did not stop their friend from raping and beating her. If innocent then why the frame ?

[@MyKindofFun]

If they pled guilty there would have been no trial. If they pled guilty, they would have gone straight to sentencing and would have likely gotten less time.

[@ChloRuiz0720]

Intimidation tactics obviously they were being railroaded by fake confession from lying jailhouse snitches. They were already found guilty so they plead because they system had already failed them

[@manoamana67]

I guess you didn't watch the video. You are so off base.

[@RossellaPerry]

@manoamana67 nothing off base . Less government in business is best for all . I guess you cannot see past your nose . Beach has more than enough room for rental chairs and umbrellas remaining build and waiting to be rented .

[@RossellaPerry]

@manoamana67 no cupcake the investigation and who's guilty is off base .

[@azuls1]

It would be interesting to see what the prosecutors who put these men in jail have to say about this case now that they know the truth.

[@JD-et1in]

22:40 respectfully, but the people most deserving of such a lecture from the chief judge should have been the people on the jury who came to the original verdict and ruined this mans life. I know he meant well, but this man has every right to be as resentful as possible for the rest of his life tot the people who did this to him, very much including the members on the original jury. I'm frankly amazed by how graceful he seemed to have handled the whole process. 26:10 Besides, seeing how little help he appeared to have received in terms of assistance with entering modern society after such a long prison sentence, the judges' words ring rather hollow.

[@AmeliasMiMi]

I can’t imagine the original prosecutor of this trial. I don’t know how Ashida could sleep at night all these years. Not only did his demand for a conviction because statutes of limitations were running out impact the lives of three innocent families, it also prevented the family of Dana Ireland from receiving true justice and allow the real monster to remain free on the streets to do this again. I was finishing writing that statement when the news woman in the video said the exact same thing. Now that they’ve found the real monster, and they can’t get true justice because he was also a coward & took the easy way out, now this community has to take a long look into seeing if he got away with even more atrocities while he was free to roam while innocent men were serving his sentence. Extremely heartbreaking case for the past three decades! Ashida lying to the judge about the polygraph should be grounds for some type of prosecution on him! What a disgrace to everyone in that community!

[@leikilimaile2565]

ALL the cases the proscecutor did should be looked at.

[@Joanmarialauw]

You guys found the suspect even though he committed suicide. I think you should just drop the charges. For the brothers.

[@lelandunruh7896]

I don't understand why prosecutors keep going with obviously-lying jailhouse snitches or other people with obvious motives to lie. Arrogance? Tunnel vision? Careerism? It is so pathetic.

[@kimofromkalihi]

I hope they sue the fuck out the state💯🤙

[@stevec69]

only gonna hurt u if they win

[@Jess-mf2bj]

Iincoln Ashida should be charged and put in jail.He knew they were innocent but didn't give a damn.I don't know how he can sleep at night

[@lovely-mk4rt]

Both of those families were troublemakers in that area. Drunk, stealing and assaulting people

[@reversalmushroom]

I did.

[@kahakelii]

Ken Lawson, and the Univesity Of Hawaii Criminal Law school, RIGHT ON !! 🥰

[@superspecialty5169]

I was a on a jury & couldn’t believe in half of the jury how they could believe in their rationale for the defendant’s conviction! 🤔🤨🙃

[@leikilimaile2565]

brah disgusting what the proscecutor and police dept and the lying punk who blamed them, they should all go to prison for life for what they did to these men and their families and the girl Never get justice, when you feel you gotta lie to get out of prison thats major corruption

[@hr5331]

9:38 This is the biggest criminal. His lying face makes me sick.

[@patriciabook1946]

Who murdered Kenneth Aho almost thirty years ago?????!!!!

[@luckydubefan808]

This was so painful to watch

[@robertsontirado4478]

These lawyers add another nail in the coffin to the slow collapse of America.

[@robertsontirado4478]

The judge be a good boy forget everything that has happened to you and buy a ice cream. Boy if they did that to me I’ll make history.

[@IanMcSlater]

Crazy story but i cant help but notice that the story portrays the criminals as normal good people when i believe they where all drug addicts and known criminals no? Was the wrongly convicted guy not already convicted of past sex crime? If he was a person whos never hurt a sole and he was wrongly convicted thats an absolute horrific scenario. If a person has committed a horrible crime in the past and was wrongly convicted later in life, thats a risk the criminal takes when being a criminal. Just my opinion. Criminals are rarely served proper punishment, thats why most have long criminal history, so sometimes criminals get screwed.

[@johnscanlon2598]

Your dumb

[@SteadyBark96720]

Crazy story unfolding… 🙏🏽

[@luckydubefan808]

Is that Judge Riki Mae Amano up there on the bench?

[@bill2066]

I dunno....Sooo Easy to "Monday Morning Quarterback" everything these days. Seems like its all the Fashion now especially with Politics, and all the rest of it...PLENTY of people stilll believe they had the right guys in Jail, so who knows. Jus my two cents.

[@QuantumOfSolace1]

These guyz all testified against each other more than once in each of trials that took place. Then these clowns told other inmates in jail that they did it.

[@cerberus2654]

The real killer has been identified. Looks like they were innocent all along...

[@Komainu959]

All the people these guys "confessed to in jail" all happened to get favorable treatment for their "evidence". How convenient.

[@ChloRuiz0720]

Oh you’re believing jail house snitches who end up getting a deal for their testimony… you’re dumb, or stupid really if you think those inmates actually up there telling the truth.

[@ChloRuiz0720]

Why doesn’t any physical evidence place any of them there genius?

[@manoamana67]

The inmates lied and got out of jail.

[@blessfulteiana8084]

thank you jesus for this!!

[@EdwardNakagawa]

KANGAROO COURT *

[@yixnorb5971]

Some states won't even compensate innocent victims of the justice system, which I believe is why some suspects are never found, even if innocent.

[@kawikadee9670]

They most likely have to sue the state for big big money.

[@generynkewicz4871]

Absence of DNA does not mean he or others were not there. They were convicted without DNA due to all the overwhelming evidence and details of the crime that given during confessions. Details that were not known to the public.

[@ilse-u6x]

Incredible

[@johneisenberg6700]

The bite mark and the DNA didnt match any of the three. Who the hell did it then? This is one strange case.

[@leikilimaile2565]

GOD bless the families of those that were falsley accused, they darn well better pay those men!

[@Drkraut345]

Unknown male # 1 Try looking at any and everyone that had anything to do with the prosecution especially the prosecutor

[@Haiza318]

Parabon