Hilo Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Violent Apartment Attack

Gilberto Diaz Escobar, 25, faces attempted second-degree murder charges after allegedly entering his ex-girlfriend's Maile Street apartment in Hilo without permission on April 3 and attacking two people inside: her 25-year-old boyfriend and her 62-year-old mother.

Police located Escobar four days after the attack, arresting him on April 7 at a residence in Waikoloa. He made his initial appearance in Hilo District Court on April 8, where a judge set bail at $1,060,000.

The charges against Escobar include attempted second-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening, burglary, and both first- and second-degree assault counts. Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen's office filed a motion seeking detention without bail, citing the violent nature of the alleged crimes and the risk Escobar poses to public safety. A hearing on that motion, along with a preliminary hearing, has been scheduled in the weeks ahead.

The no-bail motion is a relatively rare prosecutorial step, typically reserved for cases where the State argues the defendant poses a significant danger to the community or a substantial flight risk. If the court grants it, Escobar would remain jailed through trial regardless of any bond payment. Defense counsel is expected to present mitigating evidence at the upcoming hearing, and the court will weigh factors including criminal history, community ties, and the character of the alleged offenses.

Prosecutors placed particular emphasis on the involvement of the 62-year-old victim when arguing for detention. Attacks on kupuna draw heightened scrutiny in Hawaii courts because older adults face greater risk of serious injury and more complex recoveries, and the presence of an elder victim among multiple targets factored directly into the State's pretrial detention argument.

The unauthorized entry into the apartment underpins the burglary count among Escobar's charges. His alleged conduct, crossing into a residence where he had no permission to be and assaulting two occupants, is what the Prosecuting Attorney's office framed as grounds for treating this as a maximum-detention case under Hawaii law.

Conviction on the attempted murder count alone carries substantial prison exposure. The case is expected to move through Hilo District Court over the coming weeks as both the bail motion and preliminary hearing proceed.