What Happened in Hawaii? The Unsolved Murder of Amber Jackson
I watched another episode of Breaking Homicide on Investigation Discovery, it’s season 2 episode 8 titled ‘A Murder in Paradise.’ This case has a lot of interesting suspects, and a very small police department looking for answers.
Amber Jackson had grown up in Southern California, but in 2000 she decided to move to the island of Kauai. She was known as a free spirit, and was easy to get along with. Amber moved to a house with her 2 dogs and remodeled her home.
Amber Jackson
57 year old, Amber went missing on June 23rd, 2010, she was supposed to meet her best friends Teri and Ken Ceplo for dinner at around 5pm. They said it was unlike her to not show up or call, so they reported her missing. Her body was found just 9 days later in a ravine. A hunter and his dogs found her.
Missing fliers for Amber
Her cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
Now, I’m going to take you through who was interviewed in this episode. There are a lot of interesting findings and suspects.
Matt Alexander, Amber’s nephew
The first person Derrick Lavasseur interviewed was Matt Alexander. He said he was really close with his aunt and she taught him how to surf. He also said she was very welcoming, and even welcomed him and his friends into her home. He heard from the police that Amber went missing.
Amber rented out a part of her property to a man named Greg Glaser. Matt believed he heard that Amber and Greg were more than just friends, despite their age difference. Derrick had heard from others that Greg was violent and asked Matt if he heard or saw that. Matt said he never saw it but that Teri, Amber’s friend said Amber would talk about him having a temper.
Kukoa Ledemsa, police officer
Derrick and Kukoa Ledemsa drove to about where Amber’s body was found. It was a very curvy, dirt road. Their were no homes around the area, just a vast wilderness. Her body was found almost decomposed in a ravine, there was also a hill you would have to place the body to put it to where it was found. The only other evidence that was found was tire tracks, and the police department didn’t have resources to find out who’s car made them.
Teri and Ken Ceplo, Amber’s best friends
Teri and Ken are the ones who reported Amber missing, about 2 hours after she didn't show up for dinner. Teri also said she went hiking with Amber 2 days before she went missing.
Teri also called Greg the next day, and saw him as she was driving to Amber’s house. She said Greg threw a temper tantrum, hit the steering wheel and screamed at the top of his lungs, and she “drove off because she was scared.” Derrick asked if they knew Greg to be violent. Teri said Amber would talk about how he had a temper. They also said Greg had a weapon called “the protector.” (Either they really didn't like him or he’s as crazy as he sounds).
Kanthi De Alawis, Forensic Pathologist
Derrick interviewed Dr. De Alawis, and she said there were no signs of sexual assault, Amber was fully clothed but missing her shoes. She said the cause of death was blunt force trauma, and that the right side of her face was mostly damaged and that her face was crushed.
Derrick asked her what she thinks was the murder weapon and she said the object was most likely an elongated or heavy object, like a bat or a piece of wood.
Derrick then showed her a few pictures of Amber’s house. There was a piece of counter in between her stove and refrigerator that was missing a chunk, and a broken beer bottle. He asked if those could have been the murder weapon, and Dr. De Alawis said she didn't think so. There was also no blood in Amber’s kitchen or home.
Greg Glaser, Amber’s friend and person of interest
Derrick said Greg declined several times to be interviewed, but he eventually agreed. Greg was the last known person to see her alive. Derrick asked about their relationship, and Greg said they were friends who occasionally had sex. Greg said they were having dinner around 7-8pm the day before she went missing, and that after dinner he tried having sex with her, she wasn’t in the mood and walked back to the main house about 8:30-9pm.
The next day, Teri called him about Amber being missing. Derrick asked him when the police came to see him and he said a few days later. They brought in 3 cadaver dogs and a CSI team, and didn't find anything. He also said he would take a polygraph test, but wanted a lawyer and they never had him take a polygraph test.
The last question Derrick asked was if Greg had a weapon, known as “the protector,” Greg acted like he was completely baffled that someone would say that and said no.
Derrick stated after his interview with Greg that “he was emotional, erratic and all over the place,” and he doesn't know if Greg could have done this and get away with it.
The call
Derrick got a call from Teri Ceplo and she said a witness wanted to tell him information she had about a new suspect.
Michelle Stewart, the witness
Derrick video chatted with Michelle, and she gave him so wild information about her neighbor named Rick Coyne.
Rick Coyne and his wife Karen lived next to Michelle. Michelle said Rick went missing and reappeared the night before Amber disappeared. Michelle saw him again the day Amber’s body was found, on July 3rd, 2010.
She said he came into her house in the middle of the night, and wanted her to help him burn his truck. He also had made a report that his truck was stolen. Michelle and Karen eventually found his truck and it was burned, but not completely. They found a pair of women’s shoes in the backseat, and Michelle said Karen claimed they were not hers.
Derrick asked Michelle one more question, if Amber and Rick had met before and Michelle said they met on the beach, once. Rick also left the island around the time Amber died, and never told his wife he left.
This story is all over the place, and I think Derrick doubted it a little too.
Rick and Karen Coyne, Michelle’s neighbors
The police stated that they did a press release on July 3rd about Amber’s case, and that the same day is when Karen Coyne reported her husband’s truck being burned. They showed pictures of the truck, and all the damage is done to the backseat and there are also fireworks in it, and Michelle said those were hers.
Rick was asked if he remembered that he said his truck was stolen, and he said he remembers it was stolen from a placed called Menehue Mart. Rick also said the police told him that some kids might have been joyriding and had burned it, which I think if the police said that they would have told that to Derrick. Next Derrick brings up the women’s shoes. Karen said “we always had flip flops or extra shoes.” Derrick asks her if she remembers telling Michelle that those were not her shoes, and all she said was no.
They were very short with him and denied Michelle’s story. They said Michelle was a liar and a bad person. They then ended the call.
I think they’re the sketchiest, and wouldn't be surprised if they something to do with Amber’s death.
Tire Tracks
The last part of the episode, Derrick is talking to the police and he said he called in some favors to compare Amber, Greg and Rick’s vehicles to the tire tracks. Only Amber and Greg’s cars were ruled out. He said his source said Rick’s tires were an 75-80% match.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
In all honesty, this case is wild to me. Most of these people are sketchy, especially the Coyne’s. I think they are the most likely suspects, and had a hand in her death especially because of the tire tracks. I also think Michelle is lying, her story is just all over the place for me. I think she was telling the truth about Rick disappearing, maybe finding his vehicle and maybe that Rick knew Amber somehow- but the rest I don’t believe.
I don’t think Greg did anything, and I agree with Derrick that he was a little too jumpy to be involved, especially with not leaving evidence or clues.
I hope that with Derrick’s help, the police can use the tire track evidence to solve Amber’s case, because it’s been about 10 years and I hope they find even more evidence to lock up whoever was involved.
I also couldn’t find any pictures of either suspects or the tire tracks.
