Laau Jordan Lalusa.Photo: @leahmalae/instagram
The boyfriend of a U.S. soldier found dead in a burning car outside a Hawaii high school has been accused of killing her, multiple outlets report.
Court records indicate Samuel Jones was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree murder and first-degree arson.
Speaking with the victim’s family,Hawaii News Nowreports Laulusa, 25, died from a fatal stab wound to the neck.
Her body was found Monday morning in a fiery car parked outside Mililani High School in Honolulu, say police.
According to the outlet, witnesses told police they saw a man, later allegedly identified as Jones, 25, near the vehicle “opening and closing doors during the fire” who “then fled on foot.”
Police say the witnesses followed the suspect, who they say was armed with a “blade” or weapon, until they arrived.
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On Wednesday, the Hawaii Department of Defense confirmed Laulusa’s death, identifying her as a specialist with the 227th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, after joining the Hawaii National Guard in 2019, a news release reads.
Jones' bail has been set at $1 million, the outlet reports. It was unclear if he retained an attorney or entered a plea to the charges.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
