Hawaii
Missing Hawaii woman’s family responds to claims she was in a secret marriage
The family of missing Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi has responded to claims that she was involved in a secret marriage scam.
Almost a month since Kobayashi went missing, police now believe she voluntarily disappeared, pointing to surveillance footage of her buying a bus ticket from Los Angeles to the Mexico border after she missed a flight to New York on November 8.
Earlier this week, a report suggested the 30-year-old may have been involved in a green card marriage “scam” before she disappeared, which was reportedly unearthed by her mother when she discovered immigration documents at her daughter’s home.
The Los Angeles Magazine reported that Kobayashi may have been scammed out of money which involved her marrying an Argentinian man, citing sources.
The family didn’t go public with their findings because they “did not have the facts or the necessary documents” to verify the information, they said in a statement.
“The family has not confirmed the authenticity of the images or the accuracy of the information provided about a possible secret marriage,” the statement shared by their lawyer Sara Azari said. “This is one of many leads we are actively investigating with the help of our attorney and investigative team.”
The family said they turned over any information to police immediately and urged against the spreading of “unverified claims.”
“It is especially important not to perpetuate speculation that anyone is involved in a scam, as this only hinders our efforts to find Hannah and bring clarity and closure to the nightmare we are living because of her disappearance,” the statement said.
Police are no longer investigating Kobayashi’s case as a potential crime but it will remain open until law enforcement can confirm her safety.
At a news conference on Monday, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters his department believes Kobayashi crossed into Mexico on November 12 at San Ysidro.
He cited footage of Kobayashi walking into Mexico obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. His department has now declared the woman a “voluntary missing person.”
“We’ve basically done everything we can do at this point,” he said. “She’s left the country and is in another nation now.”
Kobayashi’s family previously said they were not shown footage of their loved one entering Mexico. “We’re just as confused and just as frustrated more than anything now,” her sister Sydni Kobayashi said.
Azari said the LAPD reached their conclusion “without showing [Kobayashi’s family] any footage.”
“It takes a lot more digging and investigation to be able to say it’s voluntary,” she said.
The family has hired a private investigator to search for Kobayashi.
Mexican authorities told the outlet they’ve been alerted to the case but have not received an official request to search for the missing woman.
The demolition of Aloha Stadium on Oahu took a big step forward Thursday with the first section of seating pulled down from the steel structure.
Half of the elevated deck-level seating on the stadium’s makai side was severed and toppled backward as part of demolition work that began in February.
The other half of the upper makai-side seating is slated to come down Tuesday, followed by similar sections on the mauka side and both end zones, though the concrete foundations for lower-level end-zone seating are being preserved for a new, smaller stadium to rise on the same site.
A private partnership, Aloha Halawa District Partners, led by local developer Stanford Carr, is replacing the 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium, which opened in 1975 and was shuttered in 2020, with a new stadium featuring up to 31,000 seats.
AHDP is using $350 million of state funding toward the cost of the new stadium, which could be $475 million or more, and will operate and maintain the facility on state land for 30 years with a land lease.
The development team also is to redevelop much of the 98-acre stadium property dominated by parking lots with a new mixed-use community that includes at least 4,100 residences, two hotels, an office tower, retail, entertainment attractions and open spaces expected to be delivered in phases over 25 years and costing close to or more than $5 billion or $6 billion.
Earlier parts of stadium demolition work led by Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. included removing four covered multistory spiral walkways leading to the upper level from the ground, and concourse bridges.
Demolishing the stadium is projected to be done by August, according to Carr.
Building the new facility is expected to be finished in 2029.
Hawaii
This Airbnb Tiny Home Sits on a Lava Field in Hawaii With Unbeatable Night Sky Views—and It’s a Guest Favorite
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The team behind a popular Hawaii-based home renovation show is now facing legal troubles after airing content that shouldn’t have been released, according to the state.
Hawaii’s Attorney General is now involved after HGTV’s ‘Renovation Aloha’ showed uncensored images of apparent ancient skeletal remains that were discovered at a Hilo property.
In a now-deleted clip on social media, Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama, along with the production team, discovered a cave beneath a Hilo property where they found the remains deep inside.
Video documented their shock when it was found, with the hosts saying, “There’s bones back here. I got to get out of here. Are you fricken serious? I’m serious dude. Is that a skull?”
Tristyn was seen standing further back, saying “This is terrifying. I’m at my stopping point” before leaving.
Hawaii News Now is not showing the bones, but confirmed with HGTV the episode was filmed in December 2025.
Video didn’t show them touching or moving the remains, and HGTV said authorities were notified after the discovery, the property was not developed, and the site was later blessed.
At the time, police said no crime was committed, and the state AG obtained a TRO to prevent the broadcast of the images in accordance with state law.
However this week, uncensored video of the bones was posted online by the Kalamas and HGTV, and included in the episode, triggering a quick rebuke from the community.
“We don’t kaula’i iwi. We do not lay our bones out in the sun to expose him in this manner,” former Oahu Island Burial Council Chair Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu said.
She also said the release of the images was “extremely disappointing,” saying the damage was already done.
“It is irrelevant that bones were not moved. It is irrelevant that they were not disturbed, per se, because somebody didn’t touch them — but you went into their space and that space becomes kapu space once they have transitioned over to po. And when you do that, we honor that. We don’t disturb them,” Wong-Kalu added.
The AG said they took immediate legal action to prevent the unlawful broadcast of images, pointing to a TRO issued prior to the episode’s release. They also said, “We are aware that the segment aired notwithstanding the court’s order, and we take this matter very seriously. The Department will pursue additional action as necessary.”
Court Documents revealed the Kalamas and producers of the show are now facing four counts for allegedly breaking Iwi Kupuna protection rules.
“If that were our grandparent, would we want them, after they have physically transitioned to po, would we want to share our family in this manner? I don’t think so,” Wong-Kalu added.
HGTV said in a statement, “We take the concerns raised by the community very seriously and are committed to ensuring our programming is respectful and appropriate. We apologize to anyone who found any part of the episode offensive, that was not HGTV’s intention.”
They also confirmed the original episode was removed, and re-edited without the bones included.
Through our communication with the HGTV spokesperson, Hawaii News Now offered the Kalamas a chance to respond directly, but they did not. They did however take to Instagram to address the episode, saying they followed the protocols they knew, and never intended to build there. They stressed their respect for Hawaiian culture and practices.
The investigation remains active.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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