Caregiver ordered to stand trial for deaths of 3 clients after leaving them in a vehicle

SALT LAKE CITY — A man who allegedly left three disabled men in a running car in a garage was ordered to stand trial on Thursday for causing their deaths.

Isaiah Pulu, 26, is charged with three counts of murder, a first-degree felony, after he called 911 to report three individuals in his care through his employment were unresponsive on Feb. 6.

The three men who died were identified as Colton Moser, 25, Mosa'ati Moa, 22, and Tim Jones, 39.

Testimony for Pulu's preliminary hearing began in July and ended on Thursday before the judge heard arguments from attorneys. The state argued that the three men were placed in a position where they could not help themselves or express distress.

Pulu's attorney, Joshua Baron, argued that when Pulu was initially arrested for investigation of manslaughter, it was the right call, saying they admit what he did was wrong, but charges should be reduced. He said for Pulu to be charged with murder based on depraved indifference, he would have needed to walk off with "utter callousness," thinking "if they die they die." Instead, the attorney said his client was distraught and showed shock and sympathy when he learned what happened.

Natalie Johanson, a detective with the West Valley City Police Department, testified that when Pulu asked the fire department if any of the three were alive and was told they were not, he "appeared to be in disbelief," moved to the curb to sit down and was teary.

The garage the men were found in could not be accessed through an apartment; it was a one-car garage that could only be entered through the car entrance. The van, she said, was registered to the owner of Safe and Sound, an agency that partners with the state to help disabled adults and where Pulu worked.

Pulu cared for each of the three men, Johanson said, who could not care for themselves. He had worked for Safe and Sound for two years, had cared for this group off and on during that time, and knew their capabilities.

He was supposed to take them on an outing, leaving around 9 a.m. and returning by 1:30 p.m., but a neighbor's doorbell camera footage showed he arrived at his apartment at 9:09 a.m., she testified. She added that his phone use showed he was in his apartment most of the day, and the footage showed he left at 1:32 p.m., came back up the stairs at 1:44 p.m., and then left his apartment again at 1:51 p.m. before calling 911 at 1:55 p.m., saying they were not responsive and not breathing.

Johanson said Pulu claimed he left the garage door open, and it was open when law enforcement arrived, but condensation on the car and garage door from exhaust led investigators to think it had been closed. A mounted button for the garage door opener worked but did not appear to have been used recently, based on dust on the button, suggesting Pulu closed the door. The car was not running when officers arrived and the engine was choked out by carbon monoxide and unable to turn on. The heat in the car had been turned down at some point.

Pulu told officers that one of the three men did not want to go on the outing, and he took them for a drive, but it didn't work, so he left them in the car to watch anime and then planned to take them back, according to Johanson's testimony. She said he left the car running to keep them warm and took the garage door opener and keys with him.

On the scene, the witness said Pulu stated that it is normal for him to leave them in the car, citing training on "isolation deactivation," but said he is supposed to remain in close proximity and acknowledged he didn't. Safe and Sound called him when he did not return with the men by 1:30 p.m.

According to Johanson, Pulu was cooperative and appeared very concerned.

Utah later revoked Safe and Sound's license. The business's owner, Ruben Feletoa, did not respond to a subpoena and the judge found he was "intentionally avoiding" appearing in court and issued a warrant for him as a material witness. That warrant was canceled on Thursday after he testified.

He began Safe and Sound in 2021 to provide housing and care for people with disabilities; it had between 60 and 100 employees who interacted with patients. Each one was given training, Feletoa testified.

Feletoa said Pulu was a good person; he knew it in his heart. He said Pulu was written up for client abandonment about one month before the deaths.

He said he was "not fully" aware of what happened on Feb. 6, and that it was not normal for employees to take clients to their home and he would be surprised if it happened on other occasions. He said on that day, one of the three Pulu was assigned to take should have had individual supervision.

When asked if he was familiar with Moser, Moa, and Jones, Feletoa said: "I loved those boys."

Pulu's next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18.

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