The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a “target letter” to a state corrections officer signaling his actions are under investigation in connection with the beating death of an inmate — allegedly by other prisoners — at the Oʻahu Community Correctional Center two years ago, Honolulu Civil Beat has learned.

And it may not be the last such letter sent in the case.

Federal interest in the death of inmate Chris Vaefaga was confirmed Tuesday by state Deputy Attorney General Adrian Dhakhwa, who indicated to Circuit Court Judge Paul Wong the federal government is scrutinizing the actions of corrections officers involved in the case.

Inmate witnesses have testified the fatal beating made a huge amount of noise that attracted the attention of prisoners in the jail module, but they say corrections officers did not intervene and that Vaefaga’s body was not discovered until hours later — long after a shift change for guards.

Three inmates are on trial for manslaughter in Vaefaga’s killing, and during a discussion of witness testimony in the case, Wong asked Dhakhwa if there is “any hint of federal interest” in the events surrounding Vaefaga’s death.

“With regards to the ACOs, yes,” Dhakhwa replied, referring to adult corrections officers. He did not elaborate, and no further information was available on the nature of the federal inquiry.

Target letters typically notify people that they have become subjects of a criminal investigation, and may detail specific criminal allegations. One guard has received such a letter, Civil Beat was told by a Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation employee who requested anonymity.

Craig Nolan, chief of the white collar crime unit of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Honolulu, said his office does not comment on ongoing investigations or confirm whether investigations are taking place.

Three alleged leaders of the prison gang Murder Inc. are on trial in Oʻahu Circuit Court. They are Aaron “Rona” Tuitelapaga, his brother Bronson Tuitelelepaga, and Manu Sorensen.

Vaefaga, 36, was killed on July 6, 2023, in Module 13 of the jail, which housed members of two gangs known as Murder Inc. and West Side.

Witnesses testified Vaefaga had been on a days-long methamphetamine binge in a cell he shared with three other inmates, and had not been sleeping, eating or showering.

Inmates testified the gangs effectively ran the module, and one of Vaefaga’s cellmates approached alleged gang leader Bronson Tuitelelepaga to ask that either Vaefaga or the cellmate be moved.

Tuitelelepaga, Tuitelapaga and Sorensen along with other inmates responded by going to Vaefaga’s cell and beating him at about 12:40 p.m., witnesses said.

Vaefaga screamed during the attack, but witnesses told investigators corrections officers did not intervene. One inmate told investigators after the attack that “guards could hear him yelling from fucking Hong Kong,” Dhakhwa said Tuesday.

Vaefaga’s body was not found by the jail staff until after 8 p.m. An autopsy found he died of blunt force trauma that caused bleeding in the brain, and his body tested positive for methamphetamine.

Wong has asked media outlets to refrain from publishing pictures or video of the witnesses in the case, and Dhakhwa has requested the names of witnesses not be published.

The trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday. If Tuitelapaga, Tuitelelepaga and Sorensen are convicted, each could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.