Isaiah Tone Reupena, 37, has been convicted of first-degree murder in a case that stemmed from the December 2020 killing of Bay Area rapper Melota Lasi, also known as Cutty Banks. The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office announced the conviction, which also includes charges of conspiracy to commit murder, lying in wait, and firearms enhancements.

Isaiah Tone Reupena (37) was just found guilty of 1st-degree murder by a jury as well as conspiracy to commit murder, lying in wait, & firearms enhancements for the murder of Melota Lasi in Dec '20, incorrectly believing Lasi had killed his brother in Los Angeles 4 months before. pic.twitter.com/5L0rPv9PmH

— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) June 28, 2024

This conviction follows a tragic misidentification. Reupena was found to have targeted Lasi under the mistaken belief that he was responsible for the death of his brother in Los Angeles four months prior. Performed on the backdrop of personal vengeance and flawed information, the fatal encounter occurred in the parking lot of a Wells Fargo bank on West Hillsdale Boulevard.

Alongside Reupena, Amanda Young, 30, is also implicated in the crime. As reported by CBS News San Francisco, both she and Reupena were linked to the murder of Lasi through surveillance footage that tied them to a Mercedes-Benz seen at the scene.

Arrested and charged, Young, believed to be Reupena's girlfriend at the time, was ordered to stand trial. In an incident laden with grief that had unfolded in a road rage case, Reupena's brother was shot dead in Southern California in August 2020, unwittingly setting the stage for the subsequent killing. The accused remain in custody without bail and are scheduled to reappear in court on Jan. 18.