Second Man Charged with Murder Relating to Methamphetamine Trafficking

A second man, Taliau Tauvela-Afalava, 31 of Aiea, Hawaii, was charged and made his initial appearance in court yesterday for his role in a murder stemming from the victim's alleged failure to pay for methamphetamine. This superseding indictment adds Tauvela-Afalava as a co-defendant with Filimone Tavake, 38, of San Francisco, whom the grand jury indicted on March 21, 2024 and law enforcement arrested on March 22, 2024.

According to court documents, on March 27, 2021, Tauvela-Afalava and Tavake allegedly killed the victim in connection with a drug distribution conspiracy. The victim was shot multiple times as he was standing outside his home. Video surveillance footage obtained during the investigation showed a vehicle with no license plates driving near the victim's home shortly before the shooting. Subsequently, the vehicle parked and video captured two males walking toward the street where the victim's residence was located. A few minutes later, gun shots were heard on the surveillance video, and the same two males were seen running from the direction of the victim's residence toward the vehicle. Law enforcement identified and located the vehicle seen in the video. A law enforcement analysis connected the vehicle's infotainment system to phone numberes linked to Tavake and Tauvela-Afalava.

Tauvela-Afalava is charged with carry, use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; causing the death of a person through use of a firearm; killing while engaged in conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

If convicted, Tauvela-Afalava faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division;U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson for the District of Hawaii; Special Agent in Charge David K. Porter of the FBI Honolulu Field Office; and InterimChief Rade K. Vanic of the Honolulu Police Department made the announcement.

The FBI and Honolulu Police Department are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Christina Taylor (detailee) of the Criminal Division's Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nammar for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.