A Long Beach couple has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a 45-year-old musician outside of a bar earlier this month.
Thomas Neri Arellaga Jr., 43, faces one count of murder with use of a handgun allegations and his wife, Lorna Santos Clemena, 43, faces one count of accessory after the fact.
Both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Arellaga is charged with the fatal shooting of Tasi Malaki, AKA Toko Tasi, following an argument outside of a bar on the 400 block of West Willow Street in Long Beach on Aug. 10, prosecutors said. Arellaga was allegedly with Clemena at the bar and they both left the scene after the shooting, prosecutors added.
Other than an unspecified argument, a motive was not revealed.
If convicted as charged, Arellaga faces a possible maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison and Clemena faces three years in prison.
