Tennessee man accused of murdering his wife while on their honeymoon in Fiji

The Fiji Police Pressure confirmed that on the afternoon of July 9, a girl recognized as 36-year-old U.S. citizen Christe Chen was discovered immobile on the ground of her room by employees at Turtle Island, a 500-acre personal island resort situated in Fiji’s Yasawa archipelago. The resort’s administration alerted authorities, who responded and pronounced Chen useless on the scene. She had been overwhelmed to demise, police informed ABC Information.

Chen’s husband, recognized as 38-year-old U.S. citizen Bradley Robert Dawson, was situated and arrested two days later in Nadi, a city situated on the west coast of Fiji’s important island, Viti Levu, in keeping with police.

Dawson appeared in Lautoka Magistrates’ Court docket on July 13 and was charged with one depend of homicide. As a result of seriousness of the incident, Dawson’s case was referred to the Lautoka Excessive Court docket, the place he’s scheduled to seem on July 27. He stays in custody on the Fiji Corrections Service’s facility in Lautoka, Fiji’s second-largest metropolis, about 16 miles north of Nadi.

Dawson’s legal professional, Iqbal Khan, informed ABC Information he intends to file a bail utility on behalf of his consumer on July 25 however that he believes it will likely be tough to safe bail, as a result of Dawson is a foreigner with no native household or connections that may present assurances.

Fiji Police Pressure prosecutor Arvind Kumar informed ABC Information that authorities are nonetheless making ready the disclosure of all the main points and findings associated to the case, which will probably be despatched to the Lautoka Excessive Court docket earlier than Dawson’s scheduled look there subsequent week.

Turtle Island, which hosts a most of 14 {couples} at a time in personal villas, confirmed that “an incident occurred between a married couple on the resort on July ninth, leading to a tragic end result and fees being laid.”

“We cooperated with the authorities in the course of the investigation and the police left the island over every week in the past,” the resort informed ABC Information in an announcement. “It’s our understanding that fees have been filed within the case. Our highest precedence is the security and concern for our company and group, each who we worth as household, and we’re extraordinarily saddened by the occasion. We proceed to ship our condolences to Ms. Chen’s household, pals, and colleagues. Given the necessity to respect the privateness of our company and the continued authorized investigation, please direct all additional inquiries to the authorities.”

In the meantime, a spokesperson for the U.S. Division of State confirmed “the demise of a U.S. citizen in Fiji.”

“Out of respect for the privateness of the household, we have now no additional remark at the moment,” the spokesperson informed ABC Information in an announcement.

ABC Information contributor Brad Garrett, a former FBI particular agent, defined that when Individuals journey overseas and are alleged to have dedicated against the law abroad, “the native authorities will use their course of.”

“Mr. Dawson goes to be in Fiji for a very long time earlier than this case is resolved, somehow,” Garrett mentioned.

ABC Information’ Shannon Crawford, Matthew Stone and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.