Bernalillo, NM, July 10, 2025: Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) announced today that it continues its investigation of an unsolved suspicious death case from 24 years ago. According to the Sheriff’s Office, in May 2001, hikers in the Santa Fe National Forest, Sandoval County, discovered the skeletonized human remains of a then-unknown individual. Recently, because of advances in DNA technology and the work of Texas-based Othram, Inc., the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office has positively identified the deceased as Kimo Mahi.

Sandoval County Detective Donald Chewning, who is leading the investigation, shared that Mahi’s family last saw him in 1992, when he left their most recent home in Pueblo, Colorado, to drive to Albuquerque. (Kimo briefly owned a restaurant called the Hawaiian Seafood Hut in Albuquerque.) Chewning said, “Although the identification process has concluded, our investigation continues. Kimo’s death is being investigated as suspicious, and we are asking for the public’s help to understand what may have happened to him.”

Chewning said that law enforcement recognizes that in the past, people may have been hesitant to share information because of loyalty or a concern for their safety or reputation, and that it is known that priorities and relationships change over time. “It is not too late to come forward,” Chewning stressed. “Anyone with information can call the dedicated Sandoval County Unsolved Cases tip line, 505-867-7350, comment on the Sandoval County Unsolved Cases Facebook page (facebook.com/sandovalunsolved), or call the FBI tip line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).”

WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT KIMO MAH

Kimo Mahi was born Keeble Wofford in 1931. According to news articles and public records, he was a man of large stature and personality, traits that helped make him a fixture in the movies and on the wrestling circuit during his early career. Later, Kimo performed odd jobs to earn a living.
According to reports, Kimo’s life was transient during the 1980s and early 1990s. He lived throughout the Southwest, including Arizona, Southern California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, and maintained ties in those communities. During this period, it is believed that he had access to multiple vehicles, including a white Cadillac, a brown/tan station wagon, and a pull-behind camper. None of these have ever been located.

The public is encouraged to share any information with the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office regarding Kimo Mahi. The tip line phone numbers are Sandoval County Unsolved Cases tip line, 505-867-7350 and the FBI tip-line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).

OTHER PHOTOS OF KIMO MAHI