Albert Lauro was reportedly found dead a day before authorities confirmed his DNA matched that on the body of victim Dana Ireland
Hawaii Police Department
Dana Ireland, Albert Lauro Jr.
A man identified as a suspect in a 1991 sexual assault and murder on Hawaii’s Big Island committed suicide shortly after authorities received a DNA sample from him, Hawaii police said.
Hawaii Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz said in a news conference on social media that 57-year-old Albert Lauro Jr., whose DNA matched that found on the body of victim Dana Ireland, committed suicide on Tuesday, July 23.
According to the Associated Press news agency, Lauro was found dead a day before authorities confirmed the DNA match.
Moszkowicz said detectives had narrowed down the number of possible suspects in Ireland’s killing, including Lauro, and had obtained a DNA sample from him from a discarded cutlery he had used.
Moszkowicz said that despite the DNA match, authorities had not yet reached the point where they could arrest Lauro.
“We found then and continue to find that the presence of Lauro’s DNA at the crime scene was not in itself sufficient evidence to prove that Lauro intentionally or knowingly caused her death,” Moszkowicz said during the press conference on Monday, July 29.
Ireland, who was 23 when she died, was visiting Hawaii from Virginia. She was found in the remote area of Puna in some bushes on Christmas Eve 1991. She was taken to a local hospital where she died.
Three men were convicted in 2000 of Ireland’s murder, local news station Hawaii News Now reported. One died in prison, while the other two — brothers Albert “Ian” Schweitzer and Shawn Schweitzer — had their sentences expunged last year, Hawaii News Now and KHON2 News reported.
Barry Scheck, co-founder of the Innocence Project, which represented the Schweitzers, criticized police for not immediately arresting Lauro after his DNA was taken.
“It’s common knowledge in law enforcement that if you have someone’s DNA and you know they committed a crime, if you don’t take them into custody, there’s a good chance that person will flee, destroy evidence or commit suicide,” Scheck told the AP.
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Moszkowicz noted in his press conference that police planned to get additional information from Lauro to possibly link him to Ireland’s murder. He noted that police had spoken to him before he collected the court-ordered DNA sample.
Moszkowicz said police could “use technology” to get into Lauro’s cell phone, which police say will yield information. Police also plan to talk to Lauro’s friends and family members.
“There is still much we do not know about this case and our investigation into this case continues. Our search for the truth is not over,” he said.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit regenn.org.
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