Walter Makaula is an American television journalist and news anchor best known for his work at KCRA 3 News in Sacramento, California. A native of Hawaii, Makaula built a television career that took him from Honolulu to San Diego and Miami before eventually bringing him to Northern California.
He joined KCRA 3 in August 2017 as a weekend anchor and weekday reporter. At KCRA, he covered a wide range of breaking-news and investigative stories, including crime, wildfires, public safety, politics, and community issues. The station announced his arrival in 2017, highlighting his extensive experience in television news and his background working in several major U.S. markets.
Makaula’s career has also included notable investigative and crime reporting. Earlier in his career, his Hawaii’s Most Wanted reporting earned him the Crime Stoppers International Media Award, with his work contributing to the apprehension of 12 fugitives.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Walter Makaula |
| Profession | Television Journalist, Anchor, Reporter |
| Birthplace | Hawaii, United States |
| Age | Not publicly confirmed |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Hawaii Pacific University |
| Degree | B.S. in Business Administration/Human Resources/Communications |
| KCRA Role | Weekend Anchor / Weekday Reporter |
| Joined KCRA | August 2017 |
| KCRA Departure | January 2022, according to published biographies |
| Marital Status | Reported as married by some sources |
| Wife | Not publicly identified |
| Height | Approximately 5 feet 8–9 inches |
| Estimated Salary | Approximately $40,000–$110,500 |
| Estimated Net Worth | Approximately $300,000–$5 million |
| Hometown/Roots | Hawaii |
Early Life and Family
Walter Makaula was born and raised in Hawaii. His Hawaiian upbringing remained an important part of his identity even as his professional career took him to mainland television markets. KCRA’s announcement of his hiring specifically described him as someone who had grown up in Hawaii and had worked at both NBC and CBS affiliates in Honolulu.
Although Makaula became a recognizable television personality, he has maintained considerable privacy regarding his personal life. Publicly available information does not reliably identify his parents, siblings, or other close relatives.
This relative privacy means that many details about his family that appear on biography websites cannot be independently verified. Consequently, it is preferable to distinguish between information confirmed through his professional history and information that remains private.
Life Beyond Hawaii
Makaula has also lived internationally. KCRA reported when he joined the station that his career and personal experiences had taken him to places including Paris, Tokyo, and Milan. Other biographical profiles say that he enjoys traveling and has visited countries including Hong Kong, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Mexico.
His international experiences have contributed to a career that has included entertainment reporting, crime investigations, breaking news, and interviews with internationally recognized personalities.
Education
Makaula attended Hawaii Pacific University, where he studied in the early 1990s. Published professional biographies identify his degree as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with studies involving human resources and communications.
His academic background is somewhat unusual for a television journalist because it combined business and communications rather than focusing exclusively on journalism. Nevertheless, his communications training helped provide a foundation for his later career in broadcasting.
Walter Makaula’s Journalism Career
Makaula’s professional career has included television stations in several major markets. Before becoming a familiar face in Sacramento, he worked in Honolulu, San Diego, and Miami, gaining experience in both reporting and anchoring. His career has included work at:
- KGMB in Honolulu
- KHNL in Honolulu
- FOX 5 San Diego
- WFOR in Miami
- KCRA 3 in Sacramento
KCRA described him as having a “diverse background in television news” when announcing his arrival at the station.
Walter Makaula in Honolulu
Hawaii played a significant role in Makaula’s early broadcasting career. He worked at KGMB, the CBS affiliate in Honolulu, as a general assignment reporter. He later moved to KHNL, the NBC affiliate, where he became a television news anchor.
At KHNL, he anchored the 5 p.m. newscast and co-anchored the station’s highly rated 9 p.m. evening newscast. His time in Hawaii also produced one of the most notable achievements of his early career: his involvement with Hawaii’s Most Wanted.
Hawaii’s Most Wanted and Crime Reporting
Makaula developed a reputation for investigative crime reporting through his Hawaii’s Most Wanted television series. His work on the series earned him the Crime Stoppers International Media Award in Calgary, Canada. According to published biographies, his reporting and cooperation with federal, state, and county law-enforcement agencies contributed to the apprehension of 12 fugitives.
The recognition helped establish him as more than simply a traditional television news anchor. His reporting demonstrated an ability to combine investigative journalism with public-service broadcasting.
FOX 5 San Diego
Makaula subsequently moved to Southern California, joining the FOX affiliate in San Diego. He spent more than five years anchoring the station’s evening newscasts. KCRA specifically noted his lengthy San Diego experience when announcing his move to Sacramento.
During his San Diego career, he covered a broad range of stories and continued developing his skills as both an anchor and reporter. His location in Southern California also put him close to the entertainment industry, allowing him to cover major events and interview celebrities and newsmakers.
WFOR Miami
Before joining KCRA, Makaula moved to Miami, Florida, where he worked for WFOR, the CBS station. He anchored the station’s weekday morning newscasts. This was an important step in his career because it gave him experience in another major television market and exposed him to a wide range of breaking-news stories.
According to KCRA, he joined the Sacramento station directly from WFOR.
Walter Makaula at KCRA 3
Makaula joined KCRA 3 in August 2017. When KCRA announced his arrival, the station said he would serve as a weekend anchor and weekday reporter. His work at KCRA included reporting on some of Northern California’s most important stories. Among the subjects he covered were:
- Crime and public safety
- Wildfires
- Government and politics
- Community issues
- Racial discrimination
- Business
- Health
- Major breaking-news events
His reporting appears throughout KCRA’s archive, including stories about the Caldor Fire, Sacramento-area crime, COVID-19, and community controversies. For example, in 2021, Makaula reported on a volunteer firefighter who suffered serious burns while fighting the Caldor Fire.
He also covered a high-profile case involving a racist letter sent to an interracial family in Vacaville, California.
Why Did Walter Makaula Leave KCRA?
According to published biographical sources, Makaula left KCRA in January 2022 after approximately four and a half years at the station. KCRA’s 2017 announcement documented his arrival, but there is considerably less publicly available information about his departure. The sources reviewed do not provide a definitive explanation for why he left or identify a subsequent long-term television position.
Therefore, claims about the exact reason for his departure should be treated cautiously unless supported by a direct statement from Makaula or his former employer.
Walter Makaula Age
Walter Makaula has not publicly confirmed his date of birth. Several biography websites have attempted to estimate his age, but their estimates differ considerably. One source suggests he may be in his 40s, while another gives an even younger estimate. These inconsistencies make it inappropriate to state a specific age as fact.
Based on his education and long television career, he is clearly an experienced journalist, but his exact age remains private.
Walter Makaula Wife
Makaula has maintained a particularly private personal life. There are conflicting reports concerning his marital status. Some biographical sources describe him as married, while other sources say that his relationship status is unknown. One source states that he is married but that he has deliberately kept information about his wife private.
Walter Makaula Family
There is very little verified public information about Makaula’s immediate family. He was raised in Hawaii, but his parents’ names and information about siblings have not been consistently reported by authoritative sources.
Makaula’s decision to keep his family away from the media is understandable given the nature of his profession. His public profile has largely focused on his journalism rather than his personal relationships.
Walter Makaula Height
Several online biographies estimate Walter Makaula’s height at approximately 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches. However, neither KCRA nor another authoritative professional biography appears to publish an official height. Therefore, the commonly reported measurement should be regarded as an estimate rather than a confirmed statistic.
Walter Makaula Salary
Walter Makaula’s actual salary has not been publicly disclosed. Some online biography sites estimate his annual salary during his television career at approximately $40,000 to $110,500, while another source gives a specific estimate of around $72,507 per year.
These figures should not be interpreted as confirmed earnings. Television journalists’ compensation can vary substantially depending on market size, experience, anchoring responsibilities, contract terms, bonuses, and other benefits. Given Makaula’s experience in several major markets, his actual compensation at KCRA could have differed from these estimates.
Walter Makaula Net Worth
Makaula has an estimated net worth of between $300,000 and $1 million, while others estimate it between $1 million and $5 million. The wide variation demonstrates why such figures should not be presented as facts.
His primary professional source of income has been his long career in broadcast journalism, including anchor and reporting positions in Hawaii, California, Florida, and other markets. A reasonable conclusion is that Makaula has accumulated substantial professional earnings over a lengthy broadcasting career, but his exact net worth is unknown.
Professional Achievements
Makaula’s career has included several noteworthy achievements. His most prominent publicly documented recognition is the Crime Stoppers International Media Award, which he received for his Hawaii’s Most Wanted reporting. His investigative work helped authorities locate and apprehend fugitives.
He has also interviewed numerous high-profile figures during his television career, including Hillary Clinton, Ben Affleck, Sir Anthony Hopkins, and David Beckham. His career has therefore combined traditional hard-news reporting with investigative journalism, entertainment coverage, and high-profile interviews.
Life Outside Television
Travel appears to be one of Makaula’s major interests. Published profiles describe him as an enthusiastic traveler who has visited numerous destinations throughout Asia, Europe, and Latin America. His experiences have included time in Tokyo, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Mexico.
His international interests fit naturally with his journalism career, which has exposed him to a wide variety of cultures and communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Walter Makaula?
Walter Makaula is an American television journalist and news anchor who worked for KCRA 3 in Sacramento from 2017 until his reported departure in January 2022.
Where is Walter Makaula from?
He was born and raised in Hawaii.
How old is Walter Makaula?
His exact age is not publicly confirmed. Available biography sources provide inconsistent estimates.
Is Walter Makaula married?
Some published sources report that he is married, but his wife’s identity has not been reliably disclosed.
When did Walter Makaula join KCRA?
He joined KCRA 3 in August 2017, initially serving as a weekend anchor and weekday reporter.
When did Walter Makaula leave KCRA?
Published biographical sources report that he left KCRA in January 2022.
What is Walter Makaula’s salary?
Unofficial sources estimate his salary somewhere between $40,000 and $110,500 annually, but there is no verified public salary figure.
What is Walter Makaula’s net worth?
Estimates vary from approximately $300,000 to $5 million, illustrating the lack of reliable public financial information.