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SALT LAKE CITY -- Murder charges have been filed against a West Valley City man in connection with the 2009 shooting death of Krystal Flores.
Nitokalisi Niki Fonua, 27, was charged Friday with murder and aggravated burglary, both first-degree felonies, for his role what police say was a gang-related shooting of an innocent bystander on July 19, 2009.
Fonua is the fifth person to be charged in the case. In July, Pailate Lomu, 21, was charged with murder and aggravated burglary, both first-degree felonies; and Shannon Moala, 32, was charged with obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony. In early August, Alexander Bloomfield, 30, and George Angilau, 20, both were charged with murder and aggravated burglary, first-degree felonies.
Flores was attending a house party at 1309 S. Stewart St. when she was shot in the head while lying on the couch in the living room, according to court documents. Flores was hospitalized until Aug. 2, 2009, when she died from her injuries.
According to charging documents, Fonua was armed when he entered the home with at least one other Polynesian man, believing it was the residence of a rival gang member. Witnesses said Fonua was in possession of a rifle following the shooting.
Angilau and Lomu met up with Moala, Bloomfield and Fonua "to retaliate for a prior shooting against" Lomu, the charges state. Angilau allegedly fired shots at a rival gang member while acting as a lookout.
Moala testified in a court hearing that Lomu, Fonua and Angilau are all associated with the predominantly-Tongan, West Valley City-based gang the Baby Regulators.
E-mail: jpage@desnews.com
