Town file
Kawaihae, Hawaii
Kawaihae, Hawaii (Hawaii County, Hawaii) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 706, "The Mutilated Musician" (5 June 2026). Robert Kiaway Rider, known across the Big Island as Lopaka, was born in Honolulu in 1976 and grew up in the Puna district, on the wet side of the island.
- Town
- Kawaihae
- County
- Hawaii County
- State
- Hawaii
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 706
- Approximate location
- 20.040, -155.829
Episode 706 / 5 June 2026 / 76 min / express
The Mutilated Musician
"We are going to Kawaihae, Hawaii, on the north side of the big island, in Hawaii County" about 0:03:20
The case: Murder of Robert 'Lopaka' Rider (between November 30th and December 17th, 2013). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2026
- Population
- 742
- Median household income
- about 97,500
History, in brief
- King Kamehameha's rival cousin arrived at Kawaihae and his many followers were killed and sacrificed to fulfil the prophecy and gain spiritual power. about 0:06:40
- That event paved the way for Kamehameha's conquests, leading to the unification of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1810. about 0:06:52
- Kawaihae was a filming location for Waterworld, the Kevin Costner film. about 0:07:36
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Hana, Hawaii52 miles
- Hilo, Hawaii54 miles
- Kihei, Hawaii64 miles
- Haiku, Hawaii68 miles
- Burlingame, California2342 miles
- Terra Linda, California2344 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.