Cranston Duke Pia, a 39-year-old Asian and Pacific Islander man, was a rancher, entrepreneur, and devoted family man known for his deep faith and kind heart. On his ranch in Waianae, Oʻahu, he was described as managing his land with empathy and care, cherishing every living being under his stewardship. On the afternoon of February 17, 2024, he was preparing to leave the ranch to take his wife to a surprise anniversary dinner when a long-standing conflict between local ranchers and trespassers
turned fatal.
The confrontation took place at Ohikilolo Ranch in the Makaha area. Pia encountered a group of intruders whose pig-hunting dogs were reportedly attacking his cattle in a pen. The argument escalated, and Pia armed himself with a rifle. According to his alleged killer's defense attorney, Pia fired at the group and their dogs. During the standoff, a teenage boy emerged with a pistol. The encounter, which took place in front of Pia’s mother, ended when Cranston Pia was shot once in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the days following the shooting, police arrested Chantston Pila Kekawa, a 17-year-old from Māʻili. The case was moved from family court to adult court due to the seriousness of the crime. A grand jury indicted Kekawa on charges of second-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening, multiple firearms offenses, and first-degree theft for allegedly stealing Pia’s rifle after the shooting. Prosecutors characterized the killing as an "execution-style" slaying.
Kekawa pleaded not guilty to all charges. His defense attorney argued that the shooting was an act of self-defense, stating that Pia had initiated the gunfire. As the case proceeded, Pia’s death became a rallying cry for Hawaiʻi’s agricultural community, which had long voiced concerns about the dangers of armed trespassers and illegal hunting on private property. Pia’s father testified at the state capitol about his grief, asking lawmakers why a young person had taken his son’s life.
The widespread attention on the case spurred legislative action. In 2025, Governor Josh Green signed Act 235, known as "Duke's Law," in honor of Cranston "Duke" Pia. The law makes prohibited hunting on private agricultural lands a felony offense and established a pilot program of dedicated agricultural enforcement officers. As of June 2025, the criminal prosecution of Chantston Pila Kekawa remained pending trial in Honolulu Circuit Court.
