Mother forgives her son's killer at murder sentencing

As a stunned courtroom looked on, the mother of a man who was shot to death two years ago tearfully announced she had forgiven the killer and asked that he be released today.

Anna Kei'aho, the mother of murder victim Lopeti Robert Kei'aho, told 3rd District Judge Deno Himonas that she and her family extend their love to the perpetrator, Sione Maafu Kauvaka, and to his family as well.

Kei'aho often was overcome with emotion as she spoke, with her daughter, Ruby, translating from Tongan to English. From time to time, Kei'aho had to pause to regain her composure.

But her message was clear: We forgive Sione Kauvaka.

For his part, Kauvaka, 26, wrote a letter filled with regret for the shooting death and the pain it has caused so many people, a letter that was read aloud by his lawyer, Ron Yengich, because Kauvaka was afraid he could not get through it without breaking down.

Himonas said that given Kauvaka's remorse and after hearing from the victims, he would impose the required penalty for first-degree felony murder, which is five-years-to-life in prison, but ordered this sentence to run concurrently with another, unrelated sentence Kauvaka now is serving.

The judge also said he will write to the board of pardons recommending that Kauvaka be released after serving 15 years. The crime occurred July 9, 2005 when two groups of people got into an altercation at Jordan Park, and Kauvaka followed another man, Maliki Matongi, from the park to Lopeti Robert Kei'aho's home. It was there that Kauvaka shot and wounded Matongi and killed Kei'aho while firing at least 10 rounds from a .22-caliber rifle into a group of people in a backyard, according to court documents.

Kauvaka told police that he "shot the poor guy," meaning the murder victim.

Kauvaka pleaded guilty to the murder charge and, as part of plea bargain, the judge in January dismissed two other second-degree felony charges of aggravated assault and possessing a dangerous weapon while on parole.

After the sentencing, the two families wept in the hallway outside the courtroom as a sobbing Anna Kei'aho embraced and spoke at length to the father and mother of the man who killed her son, Albert and Vahoi Kauvaka.

Alice Kei'aho, another sister of the murder victim, said that keeping Kauvaka in prison will not bring her brother back and it would be better for Kauvaka to be free so he can lead a better life.

"Forgiveness is a big thing," she said.

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E-mail: lindat@desnews.com