- Leituono Falaniko received probation for assaulting his girlfriend, who later died.
- He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge, and the judge suspended his one-year jail sentence.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Midvale man who was charged with assaulting his girlfriend, who later died at a hospital, will spend the next two years on probation.
Leituono Falaniko, 32, was sentenced to one year in jail for assault causing substantial bodily injury, a class A misdemeanor, but 3rd District Judge Vernice Trease suspended that jail sentence and ordered him to complete probation.
He pleaded guilty on June 1, immediately before being sentenced, under a plea deal that reduced the charge from a third-degree felony. Falaniko admitted to abusing the woman and causing a substantial risk of injury to her.
On July 20, 2025, a witness called police to report a man and a woman fighting in a car. The witness said the woman was kicking the man, and the man punched her and forced her into the passenger seat of the car, a police booking affidavit said.
Less than an hour later, police got a call from a nurse at Alta View Hospital who said a 25-year-old woman had been assaulted by her boyfriend and dropped off at the hospital. Police connected the two incidents based on descriptions from witnesses, according to the affidavit.
While the woman's family was at the hospital with her, she suddenly reported having chest pains and collapsed; she was later declared deceased. The woman is referred to as S.T. in public court documents.
Hospital surveillance video shows Falaniko does not help the woman into the hospital but immediately leaves after she gets out of the car. The vehicle matched pictures of the car provided by the witness from earlier that morning.
After he was taken into custody, Falaniko told police that he and the woman live together and had been arguing before he left their apartment. She followed in his car and "she pulled up by him, and the physical altercation occurred after (the woman) said she was going to crash his car. (Falaniko) said he tried to grab the keys to turn off the car and (she) scratched and kicked him," the affidavit says.
He admitted he hit the woman twice with "the heel of his palm but it was more of him pushing her head away than striking," charges said.
Charges also said video surveillance from the apartment also shows Falaniko fighting with his girlfriend.
Police initially said there was probable cause for charging Falaniko with domestic violence manslaughter, but he was only charged with assault. Charging documents did not include information from the witness who called police.
Domestic violence resources
Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition: Utah's confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- YWCA Utah Survivor Services: 801-537-8600
- Utah's statewide child abuse and neglect hotline: 1-855-323-DCFS (3237)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
