TACOMA, Wash. — A second suspect has been charged related to the homicide of a Tacoma woman who police believe was killed because she provided law enforcement with information about a rape suspect.
Apelu Tauanuu pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and attempting to elude police. Tauanuu's bail was set at $1.5 million for the murder charge and $20,000 on the attempted eluding charge.
On Tuesday, Tacoma police officers spotted Tauanuu while he was out driving and recognized him as a suspect in a homicide. Tauanuu led police on a chase from Tacoma into Gig Harbor where he was arrested after getting caught in traffic on an off-ramp of Highway 16.
Tauanuu is alleged to have participated in the killing of 31-year-old Ngaire Tusi at Oakland Madrona Park on Dec. 24, 2023, according to court documents. Tusi was believed to have provided information to police about James Salanoa, a kidnapping and rape suspect who was shot and killed after a police pursuit. Salanoa's uncle, Mohammed Salanoa, also faces charges in Tusi's death.
Multiple sources told police that Tusi was accused of being a "snitch" and giving information to the police about the rape James Salanoa was accused of.
Witnesses identified Tauanuu as having participated in Tusi's death alongside Mohammed Salanoa and said Tauanuu picked Tusi up from a mutual friend's house on the night that she was killed. Surveillance video shows a vehicle, known to be driven by Tauanuu, at Madrona Park at around 2:32 a.m. The camera picked up what court documents identified as an "obvious gunshot" at around 2:44 a.m.