Carly 'Charli' Scott, a 27-year-old woman who was five months pregnant, was last seen by her family in the Haʻikū area of Maui, Hawaii. On the evening of February 9, 2014, she left her home, telling her relatives that she needed to help her ex-boyfriend, Steven Capobianco, whose truck had reportedly broken down. This was the last time she was seen alive by her family.
Capobianco, the father of her unborn child, later told investigators that Scott had picked him up and driven him to his truck near Keʻanae. He claimed that after he fixed his vehicle, Scott was following him in her own car, but he lost sight of her headlights near the Twin Falls area and assumed she made it home safely. However, his account was met with skepticism as the investigation into Scott's disappearance began.
The search for Carly Scott quickly involved law enforcement and concerned community members. A few days after she was reported missing, her dog, who had been with her, was found alone in the Nāhiku area. Soon after, her 1997 Toyota 4Runner was discovered burned and abandoned near the 'Jaws' surf spot in Peʻahi. As the search continued, more distressing evidence was uncovered. Articles of Scott's clothing were found by a private search party near Honomanū Bay. The case took a definitive turn when fragments of a jawbone, later identified as belonging to Scott through dental records, were discovered in a remote area, which led Maui police to reclassify the case from a missing person investigation to a homicide.
The investigation ultimately focused on Steven Capobianco, whose story about the night of Scott's disappearance was contradicted by witness testimony and other evidence. He was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and third-degree arson. During his trial, which began more than two years after Scott's disappearance, prosecutors presented a harrowing picture of the events, suggesting Capobianco had murdered Scott and burned her vehicle to conceal the crime. The prosecution argued that Capobianco did not want to be a father and had previously urged Scott to have an abortion. In December 2016, a jury found Capobianco guilty of both murder and arson. He was later sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. The case remains a tragic story of a young woman and her unborn child whose lives were cut short, and while a conviction was secured, the family has continued to advocate for the return of her remains for a proper burial, as they have been held as evidence pending the appeals process.Last Seen: Feb 9, 2014
