Officer John W. Mahelona

John W. Mahelona

Officer John Mahelona was shot and killed by a chicken thief on Buckle Lane, near the intersection of Liliha Street and Vineyard Boulevard.

Officer Mahelona caught the thief and encountered two sons of a police captain before returning to a yard to look for other sacks the suspect reported were there. The police captain's sons went to assist the officer along with another citizen. After leading the officer and the citizen to a dark corner, the man shot Officer Mahelona. The citizen then captured him and held him until one of the sons took him and handed him over to other officers.

The 41-year-old one arm suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 25 years hard labor.

Buckle Lane no longer exists and was in the area of the 300 block of North Vineyard Street.