Kallen Agliam

Kallen James Agliam was a 19-year-old man from Pepeʻekeo, Hawaiʻi, a young life just getting started on the Big Island. Born in Hilo, he was working as a warehouse clerk for Suisan, a local food distributor. He came from a large, close-knit family and was survived by his father, Thomas Agliam; his mother, Vera Cabatu; his sisters, Desiree Uyehara and Loren Agliam; as well as his grandparents and great-grandparents. His family laid him to rest at Homelani Memorial Park after services in early February 2001, a future of possibilities tragically cut short.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, January 31, 2001, Kallen was seen driving his gold SUV in the Pepeʻekeo area. It was later reported that he had plans to meet with one person in Pepeʻekeo and another in the nearby town of Hakalau between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. The last known sighting of him was around 4:30 p.m., driving in the direction of where his body would soon be found. At that time, witnesses saw his vehicle being followed by a newer model gray Toyota pickup truck carrying one or possibly two men.

Just before sunset, at 5:17 p.m., a passerby made a devastating discovery on the shoulder of the old Hilo Coast Processing Plant Road, a quiet and sparsely populated stretch of roadway. It was the body of Kallen Agliam. He was wearing only shorts and jogging shoes. An autopsy would later confirm that the young man had died from a single gunshot wound to the chest. His gold Jeep Cherokee was found nearby at the scene. The Hawaiʻi Police Department immediately classified his death as a homicide.

The investigation, under case number G-56321, was launched by the Hilo Criminal Investigation Section. In the months following the murder, police appealed to the public for help, establishing a hotline and specifically asking for information about the gray Toyota pickup truck and the identity of the two individuals Kallen was reportedly scheduled to meet. Detectives have considered a theory that the murder may have been related to narcotics trafficking, but this has remained speculative. The remote location of the crime, with few potential witnesses, presented immediate challenges for law enforcement.

As the years passed with no arrests, the case grew cold, and the lack of resolution weighed heavily on Kallen's family. In April 2003, his sister Loren Agliam wrote a letter to a police captain expressing her frustration after the case had been assigned to five different detectives. "This is getting ridiculous!" she wrote. "With every new detective, the murderer is getting farther and farther away." The captain acknowledged the family's concerns and restructured assignments to allow detectives to focus more intently on specific cold cases, including Kallen's. Loren, upon hearing a new detective had recently interviewed someone related to the case, remained hopeful, stating, "The fact that more information came in, that was positive. I just have to be positive with whatever changes they make."

More than two decades later, the murder of Kallen Agliam remains an active and unsolved homicide. The Hawaiʻi Police Department continues to believe that justice is deserved for every victim and that answers can bring closure to grieving families and the community. As of August 2024, Kallen's case is still featured on the department's list of unsolved homicides. Detectives hope that with the passage of time, people who were once unwilling to speak may now feel able to come forward with what they know.

Police urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to help bring resolution to this long-unanswered crime. Individuals can contact the Hawaiʻi Police Department's Unsolved Homicides Division at (808) 961-2326. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous may call the island-wide Crime Stoppers number at (808) 961-8300.