Posted on: Wednesday, April 2, 2003

Ex-con charged in Waipahu slaying

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 24-year-old man who was convicted of assault for his involvement in a 1995 gang-related beating death was charged yesterday with the March 29 shooting death of a Waipahu man.

Emanuelu Tunoa was charged with second-degree murder and was being held on $700,000 bail.

Tunoa is accused of the shotgun shooting death of Tuputala Esau, 21, of Waipahu. Esau was shot shortly before 2:30 a.m. in Waipahu.

Tunoa was arrested early Monday while driving on H-1 Freeway near the Kaonohi Street overpass.

In 1996, the then 17-year-old Tunoa was sentenced to four years in prison after he was convicted of assault in the June 1995 beating death of 17-year-old Misiona Faumuina. Faumuina was beaten outside the Waipahu Recreation Center and died of his injuries.

Two other teenagers also were convicted in the case.

Tunoa had a long juvenile record with 56 arrests, and he was on juvenile parole when Faumuina was killed.