2 Arrested In Slaying Of Long Beach Musician Toko Tasi

LONG BEACH (CBSLA) – A man and a woman were arrested Thursday in the shooting death of Long Beach hip-hop artist Toki Tasi last weekend.

Forty-five-year-old Toki Tasi, whose real name is Tasi Malaki, was shot and killed late on the night of Aug. 10 in the Wrigley neighborhood following an argument with the suspect.

On Thursday night, Long Beach police raided a home in the 19100 block of East Mono Drive in Hesperia, where they arrested 45-year-old Thomas Arellaga and 43-year-old Lorna Clemena.

Arellaga is suspected of gunning down Malaki, police say. He has been charged with murder. Clemena is accused of attempting to protect him from arrest. She has been charged with being an accessory after the fact.

Detectives also served a search warrant at a home in the 2400 block of San Francisco Avenue in Long Beach, where they recovered more evidence.

The relationship between Malaki and Arellaga was not disclosed, and a motive for the killing was not immediately confirmed.

Malaki, a reggae and hip hop singer and skater, was born in Hawaii but grew up in Long Beach and has worked with members of the bands Sublime and Slightly Stoopid, among others.

Arellaga is being held in the Long Beach Jail on $2 million bail, while Clemena is being held on $1 million bail.