Crime & Courts

U.S. Army veteran accused of shooting couple who confronted him over stolen items

Rusty Parataiso Tuuaga left the U.S. Army earlier this month.

About a week later, police say, Tuuaga shot a couple in downtown Anchorage and left one critically injured Wednesday night.

The 24-year-old from Anchorage told detectives he shot the couple "center of mass" as he was taught in the Army, charging documents say.

The shooting took place near the Econo Inn on Fifth Avenue after the victims approached Tuuaga.

The man, Chester Samatua, was taken to Providence Alaska Medical Center in critical condition, according to a summary of an Anchorage Police Department report submitted by Assistant District Attorney Arne Soldwedel.

A hospital spokesman described Samatua's condition Friday afternoon as "undetermined" or awaiting assessment by doctors.

The woman, Lei Benedicto, was treated at Alaska Native Medical Center and able to talk to police.

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Benedicto said Samatua and she recognized Tuuaga's SUV and confronted him because he'd taken some of their property, according to the document. Benedicto got out of the driver's seat and Samatua the passenger seat, grabbing a hammer from the back of the Jeep Grand Cherokee they drove.

She said she walked up to the SUV, which had a number of people inside, and demanded her property back from Tuuaga, Soldwedel wrote. A struggle ensued and he tried to get out the passenger side as Samatua approached with the hammer.

Benedictor said Tuuaga shot Samatua "and he went down," the document states. Then she realized she'd also been shot.

Samatua said "Rusty" several times when officers arrived, and Benedicto identified Tuuaga immediately from a photo lineup, the police report summary said.

Police found Tuuaga not long after.

He told detectives "that lately he was growing tired of Benedicto and Samatua following him and asking for their property back," so he got a Glock 10mm pistol from his cousin, Soldwedel wrote. When he saw their Jeep pull up, he grabbed it from the door pocket.

Tuuaga told detectives he shot Samatua because he was afraid for his safety but shot the unarmed Benedicto because he was angry, the document said. He also said he shot "toward the center of mass on each of the victims as he had been taught to do in the U.S. Army."

Tuuaga separated from the Army on May 8 "as a natural course of his enlistment," U.S. Army Alaska spokesman Lt. Col. Martyn Crighton said. He served with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, or 4-25. About 2,500 soldiers from the 4-25 deployed to Afghanistan last fall.

Crighton said he didn't know if Tuuaga deployed or not.

Tuuaga was arrested on charges of first-degree attempted murder and assault as well as tampering with physical evidence — police say he buried the gun — and reckless endangerment.

He was arraigned Thursday and as of Friday remained at Anchorage jail on a $100,000 cash/corporate appearance bond and $100,000 cash performance bond, according to a state database of court records.

Zaz Hollander

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com.

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