Overview

Full Name: Kelly Lindean Gravitt

Age at Disappearance: 34 years old

Date Last Seen: May 12–14, 2023, according to the latest police update. Earlier police releases reported a possible sighting on May 19, 2023.

Last Known Location: Pāhoa, Puna District, Hawaii County, Hawaii

Case Classification: Missing Person

Current Status: Missing; active investigation as of the latest publicly verified police update on May 5, 2026

Investigating Agency: Hawaiʻi Police Department, Area I Criminal Investigation Section, Unsolved Homicides & Missing Persons Unit

Police Report Number: 23-049866

NamUs Identification Number: MP106890

Case Overview: Kelly Lindean Gravitt, a combat-wounded United States Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, disappeared from the Pāhoa area of Hawaii Island in May 2023. Although investigators have conducted numerous interviews and follow-ups, his whereabouts remain unknown. His family continues searching for answers, and authorities are asking anyone with information about his movements or disappearance to contact investigators.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Case Summary

Full Name: Kelly Lindean Gravitt

Age at Disappearance: 34 years old

Date Last Seen: May 12–14, 2023, according to the latest police update. Earlier police releases reported a possible sighting on May 19, 2023.

Last Known Location: Pāhoa, Puna District, Hawaii County, Hawaii

Case Classification: Missing Person

Current Status: Missing; active investigation as of the latest publicly verified police update on May 5, 2026

Investigating Agency: Hawaiʻi Police Department, Area I Criminal Investigation Section, Unsolved Homicides & Missing Persons Unit

Police Report Number: 23-049866

NamUs Identification Number: MP106890

Case Overview: Kelly Lindean Gravitt, a combat-wounded United States Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, disappeared from the Pāhoa area of Hawaii Island in May 2023. Although investigators have conducted numerous interviews and follow-ups, his whereabouts remain unknown. His family continues searching for answers, and authorities are asking anyone with information about his movements or disappearance to contact investigators.

Background and Circumstances of Kelly Gravitt’s Disappearance

Kelly Lindean Gravitt was 34 years old when he disappeared from Pāhoa, a community in the Puna District on the eastern side of Hawaii Island, in May 2023. His disappearance has left his family searching for answers about what happened during his final known days in the area.

Gravitt was a United States Army combat veteran who served with the 82nd Airborne Division. He received the Purple Heart after suffering injuries during his military service. According to family accounts reported by Hawaii News Now, he sustained a traumatic brain injury during an explosion in Afghanistan in 2010.

Following his military service, Gravitt developed connections within the Pāhoa and Kalapana communities. His father, Geff Gravitt, described his son’s affection for the area’s social and musical gatherings. Kelly reportedly enjoyed visiting Kehena Beach, spending time with local residents, and participating in open-mic music events where he played the didgeridoo.

Police have also identified the Sea View lawn and Uncle Roberts area in Kalapana as places Gravitt was known to frequent. These locations remain relevant to investigators seeking information about his activities before he disappeared.

The Conflicting Last-Seen Reports

One of the significant complications in reconstructing Gravitt’s disappearance is the difference between the last-seen dates reported in official investigative updates.

In the original May 26, 2023, missing-person announcement, Hawaiʻi Island police reported that Gravitt had last been seen on May 19, 2023, at approximately 7:00 p.m. He was reportedly walking near Pāhoa Village Road and Kauhale Street, wearing gray shorts and no shirt.

A November 10, 2023, police update provided additional context. Investigators reported that Gravitt had been seen at Black Lava Vape in the Puna Kai Shopping Center on May 12, 2023. Detectives had also interviewed a witness who reported seeing him near Pāhoa Village Road and Kauhale Street on the evening of May 19.

However, the police department’s May 5, 2026, update identified the last-seen period as May 12 through May 14, 2023, in the Pāhoa area. The public announcement did not explain why the earlier May 19 witness account was no longer included in the revised timeframe.

The discrepancy is important. The earlier reported sighting is part of the documented investigative history, but the May 12–14 timeframe represents the most recent publicly stated police position. Neither should be presented as resolving every uncertainty surrounding his final confirmed movements.

Physical Description and Identifying Features

According to the latest police description, Gravitt is Caucasian, approximately six feet tall, and weighed about 180 pounds when reported missing. He has brown hair, blue eyes, and a thick auburn beard. He also has numerous distinctive tattoos, including tattoos on his face and neck.

Gravitt sustained significant injuries during his military service. The original missing-person release noted that he had a prosthetic left lower leg. More recent police information also describes distinctive scars on his lower legs from previous injuries.

These physical characteristics may be especially important for anyone attempting to identify him from a photograph, remembered encounter, or information about someone matching his description.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

The Hawaiʻi Police Department began publicly seeking assistance in locating Gravitt in May 2023. The initial announcement described his disappearance and requested information from anyone who might have seen him in the Pāhoa area.

As the investigation continued, detectives with the Area I Criminal Investigation Section conducted interviews and followed up on information received from the public. Police issued additional appeals throughout 2023 and 2024, emphasizing that Gravitt had not been located and that his family remained deeply concerned.

By September 2023, police reported that investigators had conducted numerous interviews and follow-ups. His family was also offering a cash reward for information that could lead to his whereabouts. The public announcement did not establish that the reward was connected to any particular suspect or theory.

The November 2023 police update clarified that investigators had obtained a witness account concerning a possible May 19 sighting. This was an important development in the public chronology, although the later revision to the last-seen window leaves questions about how investigators ultimately assessed that information.

Federal Investigative Assistance

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Honolulu Field Office has been identified as an additional contact for information concerning Gravitt’s disappearance. In November 2024, Hawaii News Now reported that Hawaii County police had enlisted FBI assistance in the case.

Police have not publicly disclosed the full extent of federal involvement or identified a specific federal investigative finding that establishes what happened to Gravitt.

Witness Accounts and Investigative Records

The reported sightings at Black Lava Vape and near Pāhoa Village Road are among the most important publicly documented pieces of information concerning Gravitt’s disappearance. However, police have not released a comprehensive public reconstruction of his movements during May 2023.

During a 2024 news interview, a police representative discussed the types of investigative work involved in missing-person cases, including interviews and the examination of potential phone and financial records. That discussion did not establish that specific records had produced evidence explaining Gravitt’s disappearance.

No publicly verified police announcement located for this article identifies recovered human remains, a confirmed crime scene, a forensic match, or DNA findings that resolve the case. No officially identified suspect, arrest, or criminal charge directly connected to his disappearance was established in the reviewed reporting.

These limitations do not mean investigators possess no additional information. They mean that the publicly available record does not support describing undisclosed evidence as fact.

Theories, Family Concerns, and Unresolved Questions

Gravitt’s disappearance has generated considerable concern among his family and members of the community. Nevertheless, the cause of his disappearance remains undetermined in the publicly available investigative record.

The Family’s Fears

In a November 2024 interview with Hawaii News Now, Gravitt’s father, Geff Gravitt, expressed his belief that his son might no longer be alive. He spoke about wanting answers, justice, and the opportunity to bring his son home.

Geff also alleged that Kelly had been attacked by members of a motorcycle gang in Pāhoa shortly before disappearing. This account was presented as a family allegation, not an independently established investigative conclusion. The reviewed police releases do not identify a motorcycle gang or any individual as responsible for Gravitt’s disappearance.

His father also acknowledged hearing numerous conflicting stories and theories about what might have happened. Those accounts should not be treated as verified evidence. In particular, claims that Gravitt was murdered or placed in a lava tube have not been established by the official information reviewed for this article.

Questions That Remain Unanswered

Several questions remain central to understanding the disappearance. What happened after Gravitt’s documented presence in the Pāhoa area in mid-May 2023? Why does the latest police release use an earlier last-seen window than previous announcements? Was the May 19 witness account subsequently reassessed, or did investigators receive additional information affecting the timeline?

Other unanswered questions concern whether anyone witnessed an encounter or incident involving Gravitt, whether he traveled outside the immediate Pāhoa area, and whether people familiar with his routine observed any unusual changes before he vanished.

His combat injuries and medical history are relevant background information, but they do not establish that a medical emergency caused his disappearance. Likewise, the family’s concerns about possible violence do not establish that a homicide occurred.

Until investigators release further evidence, accidental circumstances, voluntary movement, medical distress, and criminal involvement cannot be reliably distinguished on the basis of the limited public record. None should be presented as the confirmed explanation.

Latest Publicly Available Investigative Updates

As of October 31, 2026, the latest official investigative announcement located for this article was issued by the Hawaiʻi Police Department on May 5, 2026. The announcement renewed the request for information about Gravitt’s disappearance and confirmed that investigators continued actively working the case.

May 5, 2026: Police Renew Their Appeal

In its May 2026 announcement, the Hawaiʻi Police Department described Gravitt as 37 years old and identified the reported last-seen period as May 12–14, 2023, in the Pāhoa area.

The department emphasized that investigators had conducted numerous interviews and follow-ups and continued to actively investigate his disappearance. The announcement also highlighted locations in Kalapana that Gravitt was known to visit, including the Sea View lawn, Kehena Beach, and Uncle Roberts area.

Police directed information to Detective Sybastian Keltner of the Area I Criminal Investigation Section’s Unsolved Homicides & Missing Persons Unit, the department’s non-emergency line, or the FBI Honolulu Field Office.

Although the investigating unit handles both unsolved homicides and missing persons, that assignment does not establish that Gravitt’s disappearance has been classified as a homicide.

December 30, 2025: Previous Police Update

In an earlier announcement dated December 30, 2025, police again sought information from the public and stated that detectives had conducted extensive interviews and follow-ups since Gravitt disappeared.

That announcement continued to identify May 19, 2023, as the reported last-seen date. The subsequent May 2026 revision makes it important to consult the most recent police information rather than relying exclusively on earlier missing-person notices.

Current Public Case Status

No publicly confirmed investigative breakthrough after the May 5, 2026, announcement was located in the sources reviewed through October 31, 2026. No verified announcement establishing Gravitt’s whereabouts, identifying his remains, or confirming an arrest in connection with his disappearance was found.

The most recent official update therefore remains a renewed public appeal and confirmation of continued investigative activity, rather than an announcement that the case has been solved.

Conclusion and Public Appeal for Information

More than three years after Kelly Lindean Gravitt disappeared from Pāhoa, his family is still waiting to learn what happened to him. The uncertainty surrounding his final known movements, the conflicting reported sighting dates, and the absence of a publicly confirmed explanation continue to make this an unresolved missing-person case.

Gravitt’s life was more than the circumstances of his disappearance. He was a combat-wounded Army veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, a son, and a member of a community where he formed personal and musical connections. Those who knew him remember his presence in the Pāhoa and Kalapana areas, while his family continues to seek reliable answers.

Anyone who saw Gravitt in Pāhoa or Kalapana during May 2023, witnessed an incident involving him, or has information about his movements is encouraged to contact investigators. Even information that seems minor may help clarify the disputed timeline or identify someone who had contact with him.

Information can be provided to the Hawaiʻi Police Department at (808) 935-3311, Detective Sybastian Keltner at (808) 961-2326, or the FBI Honolulu Field Office at (808) 566-4300. Callers should reference police report number 23-049866.

Anyone with firsthand knowledge is urged to share it directly with investigators rather than circulate unverified accusations or rumors. Until reliable evidence establishes otherwise, Kelly Lindean Gravitt remains a missing person whose disappearance deserves continued attention, careful investigation, and a truthful resolution for his family.