The family of a Tongan man, who was reported to be a murder victim in Maui, Hawai’i, laid him to rest on Saturday in a cemetery in Patterson, California.
Sione Paletu’a, 53, passed away on July 20, 2024 after Lahaina Patrol Officers responded and attended a murder scene at around 11.46am the same day.
“Upon arrival, a bystander led officers to a man who was observed to be breathing but was unresponsive and suffering from a severe injury to his arm”, Hawai’i media reported at the time.
Two days later police arrested another Tongan man, Seniola Kafoa Jr, 46, of Lahaina and charged him with second degree attempted murder.
At the time, Kafoa remains in police custody with bail set at $500,000.
The police said the investigation was ongoing.
A preliminary investigation reveals an eyewitness observed the 46-year-old Lahaina man standing over the victim’s body before fleeing the scene in a red 2007 Honda Element.
At approximately 1.08 pm officers located the vehicle, abandoned off Honoapi’ilani Highway in Olowalu.
At approximately 4.03 pm Special Response Team and Lahaina Patrol personnel located the man at Honokōwai Park, where he was placed under arrest for suspicion of second degree murder.
Paletua’s children launched a fundraiser to help bring him back home from Hawai’i saying they wanted him to be laid to rest beside their mother, Lesieli Paletua, who passed away 12 years ago after battling cancer.
“The love and support from family and friends have been a source of solace for the Paletua children as they navigate this difficult period. They invite everyone to join them in honouring the memory of their beloved father, Sione Paletua”.
