Bellevue Man Faces Murder and Kidnapping Charges in Hawaii after Death of Bellevue Woman

A Bellevue man faces charges of murder, kidnapping and other offenses in Hawaii after what , the Hawai'i Police Department reported late Wednesday.

Howard Philip Zimmerman—also known as Philip Howard Zimmerman— faces charges of second-degree murder, kidnapping, first-degree terroristic threatening and second-degree criminal property damage, according to a press release from the Hawai'i Police Department. His bail was set at $320,000 and he remains in custody at the Kona police cellblock pending his initial court appearance on Thursday (May 26).

The victim, 44-year-old Susan Brockert, also of Bellevue, was pronounced dead at North Hawai'i Community Hospital at 12:23 a.m. Tuesday (May 24). An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

The incident was reported at a resort with the address 1 N. Kaniku Dr., which is the address of The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii. Zimmerman and Brockert were registered at the resort together, according to police.

According to police, at 11:18 p.m. Monday May 23, South Kohala police responded to an emergency call at the resort, according to the police department's press release. Guests told resort employees about screams coming from one of the rooms, and resort security and staff rushed to the scene, where one of them witnessed a woman inside being struck on the head with an object, police said.

The employees obtained entry into the room, called 911 and held the suspect until police arrived, police said.