Washington man charged with murder of mom-of 7-for 'cooperating' to solve rape case involving his nephew

Warning: This article contains recollection of the crime that could trigger some readers. Discretion is advised.

TACOMA, WASHINGTON: A man from Washington has been charged with the killing of a woman he thought was helping with a rape probe into his nephew.

Ngaire Tusi was found dead in December 2023. Muhammad Salanoa was charged on Wednesday, January 31, with first-degree murder and first-degree conspiracy to commit murder.

Ngaire Tusi found dead in Oakland Madrona Park

According to Fox13 affiliate KZJO, a second man named Apelu Tauanuu is suspected of picking up Tusi and taking her to the location where she was shot and killed.

Tusi was found dead in Oakland Madrona Park in Tacoma, Washington, with an ankle monitor wrapped in tin foil around her foot and a gunshot wound to the head.

Investigators found that Tusi belonged to a "Samoan-based" group and had ties to Muhammad Salanoa's nephew James Salanoa, 22.

James Salanoa was accused of kidnapping and raping a woman at gunpoint in November.

As per KING reports, James Salanoa attempted to elude arrest on November 28 and was shot and killed by deputies from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department.

Muhammad Salanoa was "upset about people cooperating with the police and providing them with information about his nephew," according to court documents that the local ABC affiliate KOMO cited.

Muhammad Salanoa accused Ngaire Tusi of being a 'snitch' 

As reported by KOMO, James' uncle Muhammad had accused Tusi of "being a 'snitch'" and giving police information about his nephew's whereabouts.

Lauvale Lese, Tusi's uncle, told the outlet Muhammad Salanoa "should've made a move to turn [his nephew] in" on Friday. 

“Instead he took the other route, and it’s unfortunate to know there’s folks out there who will protect people who harm other people,” Iese continued.

In a GoFundMe page created after the incident, Tusi's sister Natasha Aasa called her sibling's murder "absolutely senseless and uncalled for."

Aasa wrote, "Our hearts are shattered and will never be mended the same. We are having difficulty accepting the truth and the fact that we will never see her precious face again and just to be in her lively presence will forever kill us internally."

Tusi leaves behind her husband and seven children, as stated by Aasa.

Muhammad Salanoa's court records did not contain a listing for an attorney. But via his lawyer, he entered a not-guilty plea on Friday.

Speaking at his hearing, the prosecution claimed that he was being held in community custody at the time of the alleged crime.