A FAMOUS musician and entertainer known for his Hawaiian concerts and falsetto voice has passed away.
Clifford Darren Benitez was discovered dead Thursday night in his Honolulu residence. He was 57.
On Friday, Benitez was scheduled to perform at the Moonlight Mele event at the Bishop Museum.
Friends had last heard from Benitez on Tuesday, and authorities have ruled his death an unattended death, according to ABC station KITV.
Neighbors reported seeing persons coming in and out of his apartment building on Tuesday night before his automobile rolled away.
Hours later, his car was involved in a crash, but the driver sped away.
The Honolulu medical examiner’s office has performed an autopsy, but officials are not publishing Benitez’s cause and manner of death at this time.
Friends and neighbors have begun to grieve the death of Benitez, who was known for his upbeat nature and storytelling.
DJ Shannon Scott, a longtime friend and radio personality, expressed disbelief at the news.
“I mean it was just heartbreaking,” he said.
“And one thing after another, good friend Bill Sapolu, Honolulu’s finest and A Touch of Gold, just passed away this past week.
“Maui, and then now this, and it’s just one thing after another and it’s just heartbreaking especially when it’s not your time.”
Benitez’s death came on the heels of a devastating wildfire in Lahaina Fire that has claimed the lives of at least 80 people.
When asked what he will miss most about his friend, Scott said Benitez’s smile that would light up the room.
“Always happy every time I saw him he was always happy,” he said.
“Of course his music. His music because it touched so many people.”
