Prison time in kidnapping, slaying

A woman charged in connection with the death of a man found inside a West Valley City shed last year was sentenced to prison Monday, while a co-defendant accepted a plea deal with prosecutors.

Tuusao Adele Ama, 43, was sentenced to two-to-15 years in prison for manslaughter, a second-degree felony, and 10-years-to-life for aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony. Judge Paul Maughan ordered that the sentences be served consecutively.

Ama pleaded guilty to the two charges in April, when aggravated robbery and burglary charges were dismissed in the case.

Pailate Lomu, another of the four co-defendants in the case, pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated kidnapping, both first-degree felonies, Monday. As part of the plea-agreement, aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery charges were dismissed.

Lomu will be sentenced on Aug. 17.

Two other co-defendants in the case have pleaded not guilty. Fonua Kimoana and Ooleanui Kaina Salanoa have been charged with murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery, all first-degree felonies.

The charges against the four came after prosecutors say they forced their way into Jay Wolfinjer's West Jordan apartment on Oct. 9, 2008, beat him, then took him to a shed in West Valley City where he was tortured. Jail documents said the slaying was apparently over a gang-related drug debt.

Wolfinjer, 32, was found bound and gagged inside the shed. He was taken to a hospital where he died a short time later.

— Ethan Thomas