Who was Mike Miske Jr and what happened to one of Hawaii’s most notorious crime figures?

MICHAEL Miske Jr was a prominent Honolulu businessman who became one of Hawaii’s most notorious criminal figures.

The crime boss was found dead on December 1, 2024, in the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, with sources indicating he took his own life.

Michael J. Miske Jr, 50, was due to be sentenced in the new year of 2025.

He was found guilty of orchestrating the 2016 killing of Johnathan Fraser — his son’s best friend.

Miske was motivated by retribution for what prosecutors said was the crime boss’ mistaken belief that Fraser was the driver in a car crash that took the life of Miske’s son Caleb-Jordan Miske-Lee.

Kidnapping & murder

A federal motion to hold Miske without bail reads: “Nothing demonstrates Miske’s penchant for violence more than his meticulously planned and premeditated abduction, kidnapping and murder of Johnathan Fraser in July 2016.”

Fraser, 21, survived the car crash in November 2015, but months later Caleb died of his injuries.

In July 2016, Fraser vanished without a trace — his remains have still not been found more than eight years later.

He is believed to have died around July 30, 2016, with court documents seen by KGMB claiming Miske was the mastermind behind the plan.

According to the  US Attorney’s Office, Miske was found guilty of a whole host of charges, including kidnapping and murder for hire.

Police are probing the crime boss’ death as a suicide, but it’s not currently known whether he was on suicide watch at the time of his death.

The Rise of Mike Miske Jr

Miske’s criminal career spanned decades.

He evolved from a “street-level drug dealer” to the leader of a sophisticated organized crime ring known as the Miske Enterprise.

Honolulu Deputy Police Chief John McCarthy said Miske was “nothing but a street-level drug dealer in Kailua until he started making more and more money.”

As his empire grew he became the owner several legitimate businesses.

These included the well-known fumigation company Kama’aina Termite and Pest Control, which he reportedly used as a front for his illegal activities.

Criminal charges

In July 2024, after a lengthy trial lasting about six months, Miske was convicted of 13 federal counts.

The charges against him were extensive, painting a picture of a ruthless criminal organization involved in various illegal activities.

Investigation & trial

The extensive multi-agency investigation into Miske’s crimes was conducted by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Honolulu, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The case against him was described as one of the most complex criminal prosecutions in the country, with millions of documents and hours of audio and video evidence.

Miske’s trial began in January 2024 and lasted roughly six months.

He stood trial alone after his half-brother and daughter-in-law took plea deals.

About a dozen of Miske’s associates were also implicated in connection with his various charges, with most making deals with the prosecution that included testifying against him.

Throughout the trial, Miske’s defense team portrayed him as a successful businessman who helped his community.

However, prosecutors depicted him as a master manipulator running an extensive organized crime group.

The jury ultimately convicted Miske, with him facing mandatory minimum life sentences on two of the charges against him.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.