Kauai police search for armed, dangerous man in multiple cases

Kauai police are searching for William “Billy” Sinclair, 51, of Kīlauea, whom detectives say is wanted in connection with multiple ongoing investigations and should be considered armed and dangerous. Police released a photo of Sinclair and said he was believed to frequent the North Shore, putting the focus on a fast-moving manhunt tied to violent incidents in both Hanalei and Kīlauea.

The search stems from two separate calls that came in before sunrise on June 6. Officers responded at about 12:50 a.m. to a suspicious death in Hanalei that was later determined to be a homicide. About four hours later, at around 4:45 a.m., police were dispatched for reports of gunshots in Kīlauea. A Kīlauea resident sustained minor injuries after being grazed by a bullet and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

During the search, police closed Kīlauea Road between Kolo Road and Kaikala Street and evacuated nearby residents. The road reopened and residents were allowed to return home about 10 hours later, underscoring how quickly the situation escalated across the North Shore community. Sinclair is described as about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a medium build, brown eyes and black hair.

Police have told the public not to approach Sinclair if he is seen and to contact law enforcement immediately. The warning comes as officers try to connect two serious investigations that unfolded hours apart in neighboring North Shore communities, one ending in a homicide determination and the other in a shooting that left a resident with minor injuries.

The department has also recently used public alerts to track down other suspects in separate cases. On May 4, police asked for help locating Wailua resident Kamron Cortez, 31, who was wanted on an outstanding felony warrant for Unauthorized Control of a Propelled Vehicle with bail set at $20,000 and was also tied to recent burglaries, vehicle break-ins and vehicle thefts. Cortez was apprehended two days later after fleeing officers on foot in Wailua.

On June 5, police sought help finding Hanapēpē resident Jason Bagain, 45, a person of interest after Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital reported treating a gunshot-wound patient. Bagain was apprehended that evening without incident, and police said they believed that incident was isolated and that the public was not in danger.

Taken together, the recent alerts show a department using public notices as a frontline tool in active investigations, but the Sinclair case carries a different weight: a homicide, a shooting and a suspect police say should be treated as armed and dangerous.