Witnesses say Vanisi talked of killing a cop

Friday, Jan. 15, 1999 | 9:57 a.m.

Sateki Taukiuvea said he was in a church restroom with Vanisi only hours after University of Nevada, Reno police Sgt. George Sullivan was found bludgeoned to death, the victim of numerous hatchet blows.

Taukiuvea said Vanisi at first denied being the killer when he asked him about it.

Later, however, he said Vanisi pulled out a gun, which was later identified as belonging to Sullivan.

"Look what I have," Taukiuvea quoted Vanisi as saying.

"I told him he was crazy. He just giggled. He said he did," Taukiuvea said.

Taukiuvea said Vanisi had also showed him a hatchet he carried in the waistband of his pants.

"He said he wanted to kill a cop," Taukiuvea said.

The Jan. 13, 1998 killing touched off an intense manhunt that ended with Vanisi's arrest the next day in Salt Lake City following a 3 1/2 -hour standoff with authorities.

Vanisi, 28, faces a possible death sentence if convicted.

Under cross examination by Public Defender Michael Specchio, Taukiuvea admitted he lied during questioning by police because he was scared.

Another witness, Maria Los Louis, 22, said Vanisi came to her apartment early in the morning on the day of the killing.

Later that day, she said a friend shaved off Vanisi's full beard. A couple of days later, she said she found a plastic bag with a police radio antenna sticking out of it and called authorities.

Authorities said the bag contained a radio and flashlight that had belonged to Sullivan.

A hatchet also was found in the apartment.