Woman dead after assault by boyfriend in Midvale, police say

MIDVALE, Utah (ABC4) — A woman is dead following an alleged assault by her boyfriend in Midvale on Sunday, according to Unified Police.

Leituono Falaniko, 31, was arrested in Salt Lake County on one charge of manslaughter (second-degree felony).

At around 8:20 a.m. on July 21, police responded to Alta View Hospital on a report of an assault. A nurse told police that a patient claimed she was assaulted by her boyfriend in the road.

The victim reportedly had an abrasion to her right hip and a cut on her lower left lip that required stitches. She had been dropped off at the hospital by an unknown individual, police said.

Nearly an hour before, at around 7:30 a.m., police responded on a welfare check in the area of 7350 S 900 E in Midvale. The caller said they had seen a dark blue sedan on the side of the street in front of Hillcrest High School. The witness reportedly saw a man, later identified as Falaniko, exit the passenger side, go around to the driver’s side, and open the door.

A woman in the driver’s seat was trying to get away from him, the witness said, kicking at the man as the man was punching her. The man allegedly then forced her into the passenger seat and drove them away north on 900 E.

“Officers realized this welfare check was the same incident reported by the hospital by the vehicle description and involved persons descriptions,” an affidavit of probable cause states. “This witness provided officers with a picture of the involved vehicle.”

While at the hospital, the victim told family that her boyfriend had punched her in the face multiple times with a closed fist during an argument. While her family was with her in the hospital room, she said she was having chest pains and couldn’t breathe.

The victim suddenly collapsed and was declared deceased by hospital staff.

Investigators reviewed footage of the victim being dropped off at the hospital. The video reportedly shows a Chevrolet Impala, registered to Falaniko, being driven by a large male matching Falaniko’s description. The individual dropped off the victim and left immediately after.

Officer conducted surveillance at Falaniko’s home and found him standing near the road with a gym bag, appearing to be waiting for a ride. Police took him into custody.

In speaking with police, Falaniko said he and the victim lived together. He admitted to getting into a fight with her that day, which turned physical, and dropping her off at the hospital.

Police said the victim did not have any known medical issues that would have contributed to her death.

Falaniko was booked into Salt Lake County Jail on the aforementioned charges.