Law enforcement needs your help solving 1980 double murder

By Diane Ako

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    HONOLULU, Hawaii (KITV) — Almost 44 years ago, two Kaneohe-based United States Marines were killed in Hawaii Kai. Law enforcement has been looking for their killers ever since.

For years, Honolulu Police (HPD) led the investigation. But the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) has since took over, and is renewing the call for public help.

What happened to these two young men, murdered in the prime of life one summer night in 1980?

“Two Marines, Lance Corporal Lawrence ‘Larry’ Martens and Rodney ‘Rocky’ Padilla, went out for what we think was a night on the town. We’re not exactly sure what happened to them that night,” started NCIS Special Agent James Curry.

Some theories place them in Kaneohe or Waikiki, but what investigators do know is that they next morning, they were dead.

“They were found beaten and shot in Hawaii Kai,” said Curry.

The bodies were found in the parking lot of Maunalua Bay next to a car. Padilla, who hailed from Colorado, was just 21. Martens was 19 years old and from Wisconsin. Investigators recovered some evidence.

“We do have items that do contain DNA. At that time DNA wasn’t a thing, but today there’s a lot of technology that allows us to pull DNA profiles,” shared Curry.

Law enforcement also believes someone else was at the scene. Curry detailed, “Potentially a witness, because there was writing in the sand. I’m not at liberty to specify what that writing was. But we know based on tide charts the approximate time this occurred, and we know somebody was there.”

There have been news reports over the decades revealing different details of the case. This 1981 Honolulu Advertiser article says there was evidence of a fight before the servicemen were shot in the head.

But while investigators never stopped trying to solve the double murder, the trail’s gone cold. NCIS investigator Phil Camaro, pointed out, “It’s a challenge with cold cases because memories fade, and because evidence may get destroyed or get misplaced after 44 years.”

Camaro has spent 15 years on this case. He was assigned to the case when he was with the Honolulu Police Department, and then coincidentally continued with the case when he joined NCIS.

“I’ve prayed. Some of our team members have actually gone on the anniversary to the scene of Maunalua Bay and just paid our respects,” he said.

At this point, he thinks it’ll take a miracle to solve it – one that perhaps an Island News viewer might be the key to.

“We have a saying: Serving victims and their families in the uncompromising pursuit of truth and justice,” said Camaro.

NCIS asks the public, if you know anything, even if it seems small, to contact them at ncis.navy.mil, or Honolulu Police Crime Stoppers at 808-955-8300. Tips may be reported anonymously.

NCIS is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects.

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