MAN FOUND GUILTY OF STABBING FIANCÉ TO DEATH IN FORT BEND COUNTY

A Fort Bend County jury ruled a Nigerian immigrant was guilty in the 2015 stabbing death of his fiancé on Friday.

Osa Alohaneke, 59, was living in an area of southwest Houston located in Fort Bend County with his fiancé, 52-year-old Evelyne Ebane Epiepang, when he allegedly attacked her and her friend, Veronica Taku, with a kitchen knife. Alohaneke was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Jurors acquitted Alohaneke of the assault charges.

Epiepang was stabbed more than 30 times and died as she called 911 operators for help. Screams echoed in the courtroom when prosecutors played the 911 call for the jurors last week.

When police arrived, Alohaneke was on the phone with his attorney, his arms covered in blood to his elbows, assistant District Attorney Amanda Bolin told jurors during her closing statement.

"His mission was pain and devastation and he accomplished is mission," Bolin said.

During his closing arguments, defense attorney Eric Ashford pointed out weaknesses in the case against Alohaneke, many of which he said were caused by a haphazard investigation by the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department.

"Was this case taken seriously by investigators? They didn't even do the forensic analysis needed to determine the murder weapon," Ashford told jurors and pointed out detectives took several knives from the scene but no testing was done to figure out which was used in the murder.

In addition, detectives took Alahoneke's clothes when he was arrested but never tested them for blood. DNA and fingernail scrapings taken from the victim were also never tested for DNA or blood evidence, Ashford said. Also, Alahoneke's phone was taken by detectives but jurors were never shown texts as proof he was involved in the murder. Ashford also attacked the credibility of Taku, the only witness to the alleged murder who testified she saw Alohaneke "turn white like a ghost after the murder."

"This could have been a hallucination," Ashford told jurors. "But, did detectives investigate Taku's mental status? No, during testimony they said they didn't think it was important."

Jurors deliberated 13 hours before returning with their unanimous decision shortly before 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19.

Alohaneke look down and showed no emotion when the verdict was read in court.

Jurors are now tasked with deciding the penalty phase of the trial. Alohaneke now faces a sentence of five to 99 years or life in prison.

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