A second man, Taliau Tauvela-Afalava, 31, of Aiea, Hawaii, was charged and appeared in court on Mar. 10 for his alleged role in a murder connected to methamphetamine trafficking. The superseding indictment adds Tauvela-Afalava as a co-defendant with Filimone Tavake, 38, of San Francisco, who was previously indicted by a grand jury on March 21 and arrested the following day.
The case centers on the killing of a victim on March 27, 2021. According to court documents, Tauvela-Afalava and Tavake allegedly shot the victim multiple times outside his home after an alleged failure to pay for methamphetamine. Surveillance footage reportedly showed a vehicle without license plates near the scene before the shooting. Two men were seen walking toward the victim’s residence; gunshots were heard minutes later, and then both men ran back toward the vehicle. Law enforcement later identified and located this vehicle and linked its infotainment system to phone numbers associated with both defendants.
Tauvela-Afalava faces several charges: carrying, using and discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; causing death through use of a firearm; killing while engaged in conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, he faces at least 20 years in prison up to life imprisonment.
United States Attorney Ken Sorenson said, “The Second Superseding Indictment charging Taliau Tauvela-Afalava as the second shooter in the death of victim Malakai Maumalanga demonstrates our firm commitment to investigating and charging the violent crime often associated with drug trafficking.”
FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter said, “These allegations underscore the devastating reality that where illegal drugs flow, violence inevitably follows. The FBI, alongside our local partners, is committed to protecting our communities by removing the most violent offenders from our streets.” Lieutenant Deena Thoemmes of HPD added that their department worked closely with federal authorities during this investigation.
Authorities remind that all charges are accusations at this stage; Tauvela-Afalava is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Any sentence would be determined by a United States District Judge according to statutory factors and sentencing guidelines.
