In the autumn of 2015, the vibrant landscape of Hawaii's Big Island became the backdrop for a quiet and unsettling disappearance. 48-year-old Michael Ribhi Kalla was last seen in the Puna district, a region known for its lush rainforests and volcanic terrain. Initial reports from the Hawaiʻi Island police stated he was last seen in the Kalapana area on October 5, 2015.
Later information from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System recorded his date of last contact as October 13, 2015, in Pāhoa. At the time he went missing, his last known address was in Honokaʻa, but he was known to often spend time in the Pāhoa and Kalapana areas. His family officially reported him missing on December 24, 2015, after not hearing from him for a significant period.
Michael Kalla is described as a Caucasian male, standing at approximately six feet to six-foot-one and weighing between 190 and 200 pounds with a muscular build. He has green eyes and dark blond hair that was described as balding. A distinctive feature is a scar located under his chin. One report mentioned he had dark blond hair down to his shoulder, wore a beard and mustache, and regularly wore a hat. He was also reported to have a maroon Kawasaki motorcycle with the license plate number 419 HNV. The circumstances surrounding the day he was last seen remain sparse; one account mentions he was with his girlfriend, a friend, and his brother in Pāhoa. There has been no contact with him since that time.
As weeks turned into months, the Hawaiʻi Police Department began to seek the public's help. In January 2016, they issued a media release with his description and the details of his disappearance. They continued to appeal for information, releasing updated bulletins and a new photo of Michael in June and July of 2016. The police have repeatedly asked anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact them. The case was entered into the national NamUs database in August 2016, further broadening the search for answers. The investigation into what happened to Michael Kalla has remained open, a quiet but persistent effort to uncover the truth behind his sudden and unexplained absence. The case is characterized by the limited information available about his final known moments and the subsequent years of silence. Despite renewed requests for information from law enforcement, the mystery of his disappearance from the Puna district persists.Last Seen: Oct 13, 2015
