Hawaii Island police charged a couple from Kailua-Kona after two suspected fentanyl overdoses at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo left one person dead. 

What You Need To Know

  • Police identified the suspects as 41-year-old Izaiah Matthew Shields and his 37-year-old girlfriend Moriah Joan Goulette

  • The cellmates of Shields were found unresponsive by HCCC staff. The two men were taken to Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room  

  • Steven Mario Delgado, a 56-year-old man from Pahoa, was pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center

  • The other cellmate, a 33-year-old Hilo man, was treated for drug intoxication and later released 

Police identified the suspects as 41-year-old Izaiah Matthew Shields and his 37-year-old girlfriend Moriah Joan Goulette, according to a news release.

On Jan. 4 at 1 p.m., police arrived at HCCC after staff reported two unresponsive men in a cell. Before police arrived, the two men were taken by ambulance to Hilo Medical Center Emergency Room. 

Steven Mario Delgado, a 56-year-old man from Pahoa, was pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center at 1:34 p.m. The other cellmate, a 33-year-old Hilo man, was treated for drug intoxication and later released to the custody of the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Inside the cell, detectives found a white rock-like substance, believed to be fentanyl, along with three other items wrapped in latex, which included 57.03 grams of fentanyl. 

Detectives also determined that their cellmate, Shields, had been in the cell shortly before the overdose. 

Before all of this, a month-long investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Hawaii Police Department had led to the arrests of Shields and Goulette on Dec. 29, 2023. The couple was intercepted after arriving at the Kona airport from San Francisco. 

At the airport, detectives executed a search warrant on Goulette’s belongings, discovering 4.7 grams of fentanyl. The pair were taken to the Kona Community Hospital, where they were x-rayed. It was discovered that Shields was concealing 64.5 grams of packaged fentanyl within his body, which he voluntarily removed. 

The following day, Goulette was charged with third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug with bail set at $10,000 and Shields was charged with first-degree and second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug with bail set at $75,000. They were both placed in the Kona cellblock until their initial court appearance on Jan. 2. After that, they were transferred to HCCC. 

On Jan. 4, while Shields was taken to a court appearance in Kona, the overdose occurred. Shields was later arrested at the HCCC and transferred to the Hilo cellblock, where an additional 2.24 grams of fentanyl was found on him.

After the overdose, HCCC staff searched Goulette and discovered a clear zip-type packet in her mouth, which contained fentanyl. She was transferred to the Hilo Cellblock, where more fentanyl was found in her pocket. In total, 1 gram of fentanyl was discovered on her. 

Police, along with the County Prosecutor’s Office, charged Shields with first-degree promoting prison contraband, first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, and third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug. His bail was set at $85,000. 

Goulette was charged with first-degree promoting prison contraband and two counts of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug. Her bail was set at $45,000.

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.