Two California men have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2020 ambush killing of a father who was buckling his 2-year-old son into a car seat outside his home. Prosecutors said the attack was carried out as retaliation for the unrelated arson death of one defendant’s grandmother.
According to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, Isileli Mahe, 34, of Oakland, and John Talia Paasi, 33, of San Mateo, were convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and the special circumstance of lying in wait in the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Ueta Muasika.
Judge Imposes Life Sentences
Authorities said Judge Michael K. Wendler sentenced both men after denying their motions for a new trial.
The judge also rejected a defense request to dismiss Paasi’s prior felony strike conviction, resulting in a longer additional prison term for him.
The sentencing hearing included emotional victim impact statements from several of Muasika’s family members, including his son, who survived the shooting and is now 8 years old.
Father Ambushed Outside His Home
Prosecutors said the attack happened on Oct. 30, 2020, outside Muasika’s home on Eleanor Drive in San Mateo.
According to investigators, Muasika was securing his 2-year-old son into a car seat in the family’s vehicle when the defendants, who had allegedly been lying in wait, launched the attack.
Authorities said a vehicle pulled up and one of the men opened fire at close range.
Investigators determined that 14 rounds were fired during the ambush.
Muasika died at the scene, while his young son was struck once in the face but survived.
Prosecutors Said Killing Was Revenge
During the trial, prosecutors argued that the murder was motivated by revenge for the 2019 arson death of Susana Tonga, Paasi’s 85-year-old grandmother.
However, investigators emphasized there was no evidence that Muasika had any involvement in Tonga’s death.
Authorities said the arson was committed by Muasika’s cousin, Fifita Tau, who was later convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
Despite that, prosecutors alleged the defendants targeted Muasika in retaliation for the crime.
Investigation Led Detectives Across the Country
The investigation lasted approximately 18 months before arrests were made.
Authorities eventually tracked Mahe to Charlotte, North Carolina, and Paasi to Honolulu, Hawaii, where both men were arrested in April 2022.
Former San Mateo Police Chief Ed Barberini described the shooting as “personal and targeted.”
Investigators also revealed that Paasi and Muasika had known each other for more than 15 years, suggesting the victim had been deliberately selected.
Jury Convicted Both Defendants
Following a 24-day trial, a jury found both defendants guilty in March.
Although prosecutors acknowledged they could not determine which defendant fired the fatal shots, both men were convicted under California’s aiding-and-abetting law.
Under that law, anyone who knowingly assists or participates in planning and carrying out a murder can be held equally responsible for the crime.
District Attorney Reflects on Lengthy Case
After sentencing, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said the case represented the conclusion of a years-long effort by investigators and prosecutors.
He noted that detectives had to locate the suspects after they fled California and spent years working through the legal process before finally obtaining justice for the victim’s family.
Prison Sentences
The court imposed the following sentences:
- Isileli Mahe: Life without the possibility of parole, plus six additional years.
- John Talia Paasi: Life without the possibility of parole, plus 12 additional years because of his prior felony strike conviction.
Defense Plans to Appeal
Mahe’s attorney, Brandon Douglass, said his client intends to appeal the conviction.
According to Douglass, Mahe plans to continue challenging the verdict through the appellate courts and hopes to receive another opportunity to argue his case.
Widow Says Son Finally Has Answers
Following the guilty verdict, Muasika’s widow, Leslie Munoz, said the conviction brought an important sense of closure for their son.
She explained that her son had repeatedly asked whether the men responsible for his father’s death would ever be released.
After the verdict, she said she could finally assure him that the people convicted of killing his father would spend the rest of their lives in prison.
The sentencing closes a case that began with a deadly ambush in 2020 and ended nearly six years later with both defendants receiving life sentences for a retaliatory attack that killed a father and left his young son permanently affected by the violence.
