Man convicted of game room murder faces extended sentence

Leila Fujimori, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
·3 min read

COURTESY CRIMESTOPPERS HONOLULU Aaron Tuitelapaga 1 /2 COURTESY CRIMESTOPPERS HONOLULU Aaron Tuitelapaga STAR-ADVERTISER City prosecutors are asking for extended sentencing for Aaron Tuitelapaga to protect the public. Tuitelapaga made his initial appearance via videoconferencing at the Honolulu District Court from the Hono ­lulu Police Department’s cellblock on Aug. 18, 2020. Pictured on the left side of the screen and behind the monitor is Judge Dyan Mitsuyama.

2 /2 STAR-ADVERTISER City prosecutors are asking for extended sentencing for Aaron Tuitelapaga to protect the public. Tuitelapaga made his initial appearance via videoconferencing at the Honolulu District Court from the Hono ­lulu Police Department’s cellblock on Aug. 18, 2020. Pictured on the left side of the screen and behind the monitor is Judge Dyan Mitsuyama.

COURTESY CRIMESTOPPERS HONOLULU Aaron Tuitelapaga STAR-ADVERTISER City prosecutors are asking for extended sentencing for Aaron Tuitelapaga to protect the public. Tuitelapaga made his initial appearance via videoconferencing at the Honolulu District Court from the Hono ­lulu Police Department’s cellblock on Aug. 18, 2020. Pictured on the left side of the screen and behind the monitor is Judge Dyan Mitsuyama.

Aaron Tuitelapaga, found guilty Friday of second-­degree murder and other charges for killing a man working as security at an illegal Ala Moana area game room, could be facing a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

An Oahu Circuit Court jury also found the 29-year-old guilty of first-degree robbery and three firearm offenses. Because he is being sentenced for multiple felony offenses, city prosecutors said they are asking for extended sentencing in order to protect the public.

That means the sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder could be extended to life without parole.

Tuitelapaga also is awaiting trial for manslaughter along with three other Oahu Community Correctional Center inmates charged in the July 2023 beating death of fellow inmate Christopher Vaefaga, 36.

Tuitelapaga agreed to waive his right to have a jury trial for his sentencing phase, and is leaving the decision in the hands of trial Judge Fa’auuga To’oto’o, who is scheduled to sentence him Oct. 16.

The jury found Tuitelapaga guilty of murdering Sausau Togiai III on Aug. 12, 2020. Deputy Prosecutor Scott Bell, who successfully tried the case, said Togiai worked as security at the game room that evening and was fatally shot by Tuitelapaga while trying to stop a robbery.

“This is already the second guilty verdict this year for murder at an illegal game room, ” Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm said in a news release. “And less than two months ago a man was indicted for a separate game room murder.

In that case, Alize Ou, a 20-year-old Wahiawa man, was indicted on six charges including second-degree murder and first-degree and second-degree attempted murderin connection with a May 16 shooting at a Wahiawa game room that left one man dead and two injured.

“These establishments are not only illegal. They are extremely dangerous for the people who work there, the people who squander their money there, and the people who try to rob the game rooms, ” Alm said. “We will continue to work with the Honolulu Police Department and other partners to close these illicit businesses and prosecute those who commit crimes at them.”

According to court documents filed in Tuitelapaga’s case, the illegal game room was located at 1666 Kalauokalani Way and was known as the Palama game room.

The judge agreed to revoke Tuitelapaga’s $1 million bail, and he continues to be held at OCCC while awaiting sentencing.