HAWAII, Hawaii (KHON2) - A gruesome discovery 25 years ago in Waipio Valley remains unsolved to this day. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The 1999 murder of 22-year-old Matthew Joel Peak has haunted his family and the Big Island community, and now police are turning to the public for help in solving the case. Hanalei man indicted following 2024 Anahola murder On June 1, 1999, beachgoers in Waipio Valley made a chilling find when their dog began digging at a mound of sand and rock. Upon closer inspection, they discovered what appeared to be a human skull with hair. The remains, badly decomposed, were identified as Matthew Peak, originally from San Francisco. At the time of his death, Matthew had been living a nomadic lifestyle in Waipio Valley, often hitchhiking between Hilo and Puna. He had built a makeshift shack not far from where his body was discovered. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and though Hawaii Island Police were able to track Matthew's movements before his death, no suspects have been identified. Detective Derek Morimoto, who has been on the case, recalls the grim discovery and the difficult conversations with Matthew’s family. “Talking with a family member, maybe the last time they spoke with police was years ago, and now they’re receiving a call again about their case for their loved one. They’re reliving the whole event again,” Morimoto said. Captain Rio Amon-Wilkins is hopeful that someone in the community might remember something from that time that could help solve the case. “We are just hopeful that there's somebody in the community that remembers something from these cases and will come forward, and give us that one bit of information that's missing.” Matthew's family continues to hope for justice, and with the help of the public, police hope to bring closure to this case. Detective Morimoto emphasizes the importance of solving such cases. “What the community should know is that these sort of homicides have suspects that are still out in our community. By bringing these suspects to justice, we keep our community safer.” Find more Hawaii, Oahu, Maui and Kauai news here If you have any information about the murder of Matthew Peak, you're urged to contact Hawaii Island Police.