Maui police investigate report of animal cruelty, forward case to prosecutors

The reported theft and killing of “Eddie,” a well-fed and cared for pet pig, remains under investigation by Maui police, although the matter has been handed over to the Maui County Department of the Prosecuting Attorney.

In response to a query from Maui Now, the Maui Police Department confirmed the case has been referred to the county prosecutor’s office, although “the investigation remains ongoing.”

“The Maui Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all within our community, including our animal companions. We approach each report of animal cruelty with the seriousness it deserves,” MPD said in a statement.

The case stems from the reported theft and killing of “Eddie,” a beloved pet pig, from the Kitty Charm Farm, a Haʻikū animal sanctuary on May 11, according to social media posts from Sarah Haynes, operator of the farm.

Haynes’ friend, Cody Stewart, said Eddie was friendly with people, trained to love children, bark like a dog and shake hands.

The thieves faked an Instagram video of themselves “hunting” the animal, then killed and gutted it, Haynes said. Shortly thereafter, they entered the 250-pound pig, then deceased, into a Makawao feral pig hunting contest. They won first prize and pocketed the $1,000 cash prize.

The thieves’ attempt to cash in during the pig-hunting contest went awry when they drew suspicion because the neutered pig was so heavy that the two “contestants” could not carry it, by themselves, from their truck to the weigh-in scale. However, their story was that they killed it on their own and brought it out of a deep valley without assistance.

Last month, she said police had identified suspects, along with a “tremendous amount of evidence.”

“Eddie” had been adopted from a local pig rescue, Haynes said. He had scars and rope burns, probably because he had been used for hunting dog training.

Anyone who wants to honor Eddie’s memory may do so by donating to Maui pig sanctuaries, including the Maui Pig Sanctuary, Friends Of All Beings (also known as Maui Pig ʻOhana) and The Leilani Farm Sanctuary.

The Maui Humane Society reported it was aware of the case.

The Society encourages the community to report suspected animal cruelty by calling 808-877-3680, ext. 222. The hotline is available for calls 24/7.