In a somber courtroom, the echoes of grief mingled with the weight of justice as 40-year-old Tylan Lee-Kaulana Fely was sentenced to 100 years in prison for the brutal murders of his wife, Cecilia Tuuaga, and their 13-year-old daughter, Nevaeh Tuuaga. The sentencing, handed down by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Jack McKenna, brought a measure of closure to a tragedy that had shattered a family and shaken the community.
The details of the crime, which unfolded on November 30, 2019, painted a chilling portrait of violence. Fely fatally shot his 30-year-old wife, Cecilia, inside their Anchorage home, with Nevaeh witnessing the horrific act. What followed was a sequence of events that defied comprehension. Fely then forced Nevaeh into the vehicle with her mother’s body, driving to a local gas station. There, under his direction, Nevaeh purchased a gas can and filled it. Subsequently, in a desolate vacant lot, Fely murdered his daughter before setting the vehicle ablaze, with both bodies inside. The charred remains were discovered by firefighters responding to a passerby’s report of a burning car.
The court proceedings revealed Fely’s disturbing history of violence. He had previously been convicted of manslaughter in 2008 for the 2005 homicide of Mark Smith, underscoring a pattern of lethal aggression. This history cast a long shadow over the current case, adding another layer of horror to an already devastating crime.
The plea agreement, which resulted in the 100-year sentence, stipulated that Fely would not be eligible for discretionary parole until he served at least 55 years. This effectively meant he would be nearing his 90th birthday before any possibility of release. Furthermore, Fely acknowledged that the murders of his wife and daughter were among the most egregious second-degree murders, conceding that his actions warranted a charge of first-degree murder. This agreement was reached to spare Fely’s surviving children the trauma of testifying at trial, a decision that underscored the profound impact of the tragedy on the entire family.
The sentencing hearing was a deeply emotional affair. Family members of Cecilia and Nevaeh shared heart-wrenching testimonies, painting vivid pictures of the lives that had been so cruelly extinguished. They spoke of the profound love they held for Cecilia and Nevaeh, emphasizing their irreplaceable roles in their lives. The phrase “a memory that lives on forever within us all” became a poignant refrain, a testament to the enduring impact of their presence. Many recounted the personal trauma they had endured, relying on their faith to navigate the overwhelming grief. Fely’s surviving daughters spoke of the immense void left by their mother and sister, their voices filled with sorrow and longing.
In a moment that offered a stark contrast to the preceding testimonies, Fely addressed the court, offering an allocution and an apology. His words, however, could not erase the magnitude of his actions or the irreversible damage he had inflicted. The sentencing marked the end of a legal process, but the emotional scars left by the murders of Cecilia and Nevaeh Tuuaga will undoubtedly endure, a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of violence.
