In the quiet town of Hawai’i on December 24, 1991, a young woman named Dana Ireland faced a tragic fate. Struck by a vehicle while riding her bicycle, Dana suffered a terrible assault, and her life was cut short on Christmas morning. What followed was a series of events that led to the unjust accusations against two brothers, Shawn and Ian Schweitzer.
After Dana’s death, the police searched for the vehicles involved – a dark truck and a beige van. Despite collecting evidence like Dana’s clothes and a child’s shoe stained with her blood, the case went cold for three years.
In 1994, a man named Frank Pauline, already in prison, claimed involvement in Dana’s tragic end and pointed fingers at the Schweitzer brothers. Shawn, just sixteen at the time, found himself accused. However, doubts arose as Pauline’s story didn’t match the details, and there was a history of conflict between the Paulines and Schweitzers.
Adding to the confusion, Pauline’s half-brother, facing drug charges, supported the accusations. He got a plea deal in return. As Pauline received benefits for sharing information, other informants stepped forward, each getting lighter sentences for their testimonies.
In 1997, a grand jury indicted the Schweitzer brothers for Dana’s murder, but the court dismissed the charges a year later. DNA tests proved Ian, Shawn, and Pauline were not involved. Despite this, the legal battle continued.
In 1999, the brothers faced another trial based on a jailhouse informant’s statements. Ian was convicted, and Shawn, fearing a similar fate, agreed to a plea deal, receiving probation.
Things changed when Pauline recanted his statements. Investigators found alibi evidence that hadn’t been shared during the trial. Crucially, post-conviction DNA testing revealed an unknown male (dubbed “Unknown Male #1”). This person’s DNA didn’t match any known profiles, indicating the real culprit was still out there. In light of the overwhelming evidence of innocence, Shawn’s plea bargain was withdrawn and Ian and Pauline’s convictions were finally reversed.
Post-Conviction Testing and Investigation
In February 2024, attorneys for Ian and Shawn moved forward with Forensic Genetic Genealogy testing. Former FBI agent and attorney, Steve Kramer, of Indago Solutions, investigated the genealogy of the DNA taken from the crime scene evidence. In a matter of days, Kramer identified the identity of Unknown Male #1. Kramer forwarded the information to the FBI who confirmed Kramer’s work. The suspect information was forwarded to local authorities. In June 2024, authorities surreptitiously obtained a fork from Unknown Male #1. On July 1, 2024, the DNA results came back and it matched.
We now know Unknown Male #1 is Albert Lauro, Jr. He lived less than two miles from the crime scene and frequented the fishing trail where the crime happened. Lauro owned several trucks over the years. Tire tread evidence at the crime scenes showed those treads were left behind by a van or a truck. Following the crime, Lauro left Hawai’i and was gone for an extended period of time.
Over the next several weeks, attorneys for Ian and Shawn advocated for a proper investigation, including documentation of any arrests or searches of the individual. Attorneys pushed to ensure the FBI participated in any investigation, and asked the Hawai’i Attorney General and the US Attorney’s Office to get involved. Despite this, on July 19, 2024, the local authorities picked up Lauro and brought him to the police station. There, Lauro admitted to sexually assaulting Ireland but denied participating in the murder. According to Lauro, he came upon Ireland as she lay on the ground injured. He left after assaulting her. Police obtained another DNA sample from Lauro and confirmed yet again that Lauro was the individual who left his sperm at the scene of the crime and wore the perpetrator’s shirt. Police claimed they lacked probable cause for an arrest and let Lauro go.
On July 23, 2024, Lauro died by suicide. Police, clouded by decades of tunnel vision, continue to allege Ian and Shawn were involved, despite the lack of their DNA (or anyone else’s) at the crime scene, the tire tread evidence that conclusively shows Ian’s VW was not present, and the bitemark was not left by either of the brothers. Police also continue to rely on the problematic incentivized witness testimony and Shawn’s false confession.
Ian and Shawn are hopeful the court will find them factually innocent following a July 30, 2024, hearing on the case.
