With the arrest of two defendants in Las Vegas on Thursday, all seven people are accounted for in the alleged beating of two men they claimed kidnapped children from a South Salt Lake home during a late-night party two years ago.
David James "DJ" Bell, 31, was accused of taking two children, ages 2 and 4, from his next-door neighbor's home to his home on the morning of July 4, 2008. Bell, who is gay, said the children's mother confronted him, called him a pedophile and threatened to bring others to the home, he said.
Soon after, Bell said, the group arrived and severely beat him and his partner, Daniel Fair.
Bell was charged with kidnapping and burglary in the incident but ultimately acquitted by a jury. Earlier this month, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office filed charges against the seven who allegedly attacked Bell and Fair.
Lisa Rita Aiono, 26, and Ricky Ian Peace, 33, were arrested Thursday in Las Vegas, according to Salt Lake County prosecutors, who said the pair will be extradited back to Utah.
Five other defendants have been arraigned in 3rd District Court and have scheduling hearings on April 20. They are Angelina Janae Dibella, 31; Marsha Rae Finau, 30; Tapululululu Latu, 30; Ieti David Mageo, 33; Ietitaia Tavita Nuusila, 26.
The seven are each charged with one count of third-degree felony riot.
Mageo, Nuusila and Peace also face one count each of first-degree felony, aggravated assault and aggravated burglary. Nuusila also was charged with class A misdemeanor counts of assault and giving false information to an officer, and Dibella also faces class A misdemeanor assault.
Most of the charges filed Tuesday were elevated by one degree because they involved two or more people.
Prosecutor Christopher Bown said Friday he hopes to have one preliminary hearing for all seven defendants.
According to Bell, he was confronted at home on the morning of July 4 by the children's mother, Latu, who hit him, screamed obscenities and called him a pedophile. She then allegedly threatened to return to his home with other family members.
Bell and Fair then locked the doors of their house. A short time later, charging documents state, several people broke in.
Bell said he was pulled from the house by his hair and body-slammed to the ground. He said a woman cut his neck and chest with a piece of glass. Another woman allegedly kicked him in the forehead.
Fair told police Mageo, Peace and Nuusila came into the house and punched him and hit him with a chair, a frying pan and a television, charging documents state. Peace also allegedly threw a salt shaker at his head.
Fair had deep cuts in his head that required staples, a fractured eye socket, a fractured hand, a broken nose and a concussion, charging documents state.
