TACOMA, Wash. — A woman who was shot and killed at a Tacoma park last December may have been killed in retaliation for talking to police about a rape suspect.
The rape suspect's uncle, Muhammad Salanoa, was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree conspiracy to commit murder on Wednesday. He is accused of killing a woman who gave information to police about the crimes his nephew was accused of.
A judge found probable cause to hold the charges against Muhammad Salanoa on Thursday, and he pleaded not guilty. The court imposed a $2 million bail.
Tacoma police say Muhammad Salanoa is the uncle of 22-year-old James Salanoa, who was shot and killed by police after a chase in Puyallup in November of last year.
James Salanoa was wanted for allegedly raping a woman at gunpoint near the Tacoma Mall.
A month after James was killed, his uncle shot and killed 31-year-old Ngaire Tusi at Oakland Madrona Park on Dec. 24, according to court documents. Her body was found the next morning.
Multiple sources told police Tulsi was accused of being a "snitch" and giving information to the police about the rape James Salanoa was accused of.
Throughout their investigation, police discovered Muhammad Salanoa made it known he was angry about the death of his nephew. He was also with Tusi the night she was killed.
Security camera footage captured his car at the scene of the crime during the murder. Police believe he fled in another car and then returned to the crime scene later that night to retrieve his car.
Tusi was a mother of seven young children.
At a vigil for Tusi in December of last year, her family members told KING 5 she was a well-loved mother who was full of life.
"Anyone who knows Ngaire knows she will never be forgotten," her sister Natasha Asa said. "She will forever be mourned. We miss her. This doesn't feel real. It's unreal that we're here."
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