Kehndra Isakson

Grieving family speaks out -Daughter's slaying sparks 'Stop the Violence' program- click here to read the article...

The Salt Lake Tribune -- Bikers Ride to Benefit 3-Year-Old

West Jordan
From the Salt Lake City Tribune- October 28, 2001
Update: February 7, 2003
Murderer gets maximum sentence

Family says man had no regard for life

From Deseretnews.com January 11, 2003

By Linda Thomson, Deseret News staff writer

When Seruka Tiliaia took a .25-caliber automatic handgun to a party 16 months ago, he may not have planned to blast a hole in Kehndra Isakson's chest, leaving the 19-year-old woman to die in her younger sister's arms. The family of Kehndra Isakson pleaded with the judge to sentence Seruka Tiliaia to the maximum penalty for Kehndra's murder. But he did and Isakson is gone. And now her family and friends struggle to cope with her incomprehensible death, caused by a man who didn't even know her but was wildly shooting into a crowd of young people after getting angry over a dice game.

Isakson's father, Kenneth Isakson, entreated 3rd District Judge Leslie Lewis to impose the maximum penalty at Tiliaia's sentencing Friday.
"Only a sick coward that has no respect for human life could find it so easy to aim a loaded gun and shoot at a defenseless unarmed woman," he said to a packed courtroom, his voice breaking with emotion and tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Please, please help us by sending a strong message: that we as a civilized community will not tolerate acts of violence that result in the death of our children at the hands of criminals who have no regard for human life," Kenneth Isakson said. "We plead for the maximum sentence in your power." Lewis did choose to impose the maximum penalty of consecutive sentences for each of the crimes Tiliaia, now 21, was convicted of during a November trial. The judge sentenced Tiliaia, a previously convicted felon, to five years to life in prison for first-degree felony murder, one to 15 years for second-degree felony aggravated assault, one to 15 years for second-degree felony obstruction of justice and zero to five years for third-degree felony aggravated assault. "For the family, this must feel like a nightmare," Lewis said.
Kehndra Isakson's mother Cindy, her brother Jeremy and sister Lindsay also wept as they addressed the court, remembering the beautiful, happy young woman who loved her family so much that she kept in touch with them every day and had so many friends that 1,000 people signed the guest book at her funeral. A Kearns area softball field has been named for her.

Louis Joseph Valdez, Kehndra Isakson's fiance, perched their pigtailed daughter, Angel, 2 1/2, on a podium in the courtroom as he spoke of the woman he lost and their now motherless child. "I had a perfect little family and now it's gone," he said, wiping away tears. "The lady that was taken that night was a mother, sister, aunt, my best friend." As Kehndra Isakson's loved ones spoke, Tiliaia watched, expressionless.

When it was his turn to speak, his voice broke once as he spoke of his own sister who recently died of health problems. "I'm sorry for what happened to Kehndra. I know what it's like to lose someone," Tiliaia said.
He also apologized for taking a gun to the party and said there was no excuse for what he had done. But he denied killing Kehndra Isakson, despite three eyewitnesses who identified him as the shooter. "Someday you (the Isakson family) will know the truth — that I didn't kill your daughter," Tiliaia said.
In a brief exchange with the judge, Tiliaia kept insisting he wasn't the killer. "I didn't do this. There's more people in this."
"I'm sure the family feels great comfort from your words," Lewis responded.
Prosecutor Sirena Wissler later said that Kehndra Isakson, her fiance and sister were going out to dinner and a movie and stopped in at the party to wish the host well and greet high school friends.

Tiliaia and some of his friends barged in uninvited, began the dice game among themselves, began fighting among themselves and then at one point, Tiliaia pulled out a gun and shot a bullet into the ceiling, sending partygoers fleeing, Wissler said.
Three people said they saw him walk out the door, turn and fire a gun back at the porch where people were standing, fatally wounding Kehndra and injuring two others, Wissler said.

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