Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On October 1, 2025, a distressed woman called the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) and reported her husband, who allegedly threatened to cut her with a chainsaw and burn her.

The suspect was arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both imprisonment and fine;

Count 2: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both; and,

Count 3: Assault in the Third Degree (DV) (As a C Misd.), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $2,000.

(Samoa News has not named the victims and defendant in the case to protect their identities.)

Court records reveal that on Oct. 1st, at around 6:18 p.m., a woman contacted the TPS due to her husband (later identified as the suspect) allegedly threatening to hurt her. Police officers were dispatched, and upon arrival, they met up with the victim. The victim was interviewed at the scene.

She explained that the suspect arrived home and asked for money to buy his cigarettes, which she refused to do. As a result, the suspect started yelling profanities in Samoan at her.

Moreover, the victim stated that the suspect then “grabbed the chainsaw, trying to stab her eyes, and threatened to saw her eyes using the chainsaw.”

The victim called out to her niece for help because she feared for her life. Her niece ran towards the living room where they were and witnessed what happened. At this time, the suspect put the chainsaw down and swung three times at her, but missed; and, he grabbed the five-gallon gas tank and attempted to burn her.

The suspect left their house, and they contacted the police immediately for help.

Authorities interviewed the victim’s niece, who verbally stated that she was inside her room when she heard the victim and the suspect arguing. About five minutes later, the victim yelled out to her for help. She ran to where the victim was, and she saw the suspect holding the chainsaw against the victim’s neck.

When the suspect saw that she witnessed what he was doing, he stepped away and walked towards the kitchen. The suspect then returned and walked back to the victim, where he grabbed the gasoline [tank] while holding a gas lighter and tried to pour it on them.

The niece stated that she and the victim stood there shaking and in fear of their lives.

At that point, the suspect left the house in a black truck he rented from their neighbor.

The victim, along with her niece and two children, was taken to the TPS to await the arrival of the Child Protective Services (CPS) to place them in a shelter for their safety, as the suspect was still at large.

The suspect later contacted the TPS to discuss a previous case in which he was involved. The officers advised him to speak with the officer handling the case, but the suspect threatened the responding officer. The suspect challenged the officers and told them he would come to the station and shoot them all.

At about 1:00 a.m., the officers conducted a follow-up at the suspect’s residence, where they canvassed the area and found the suspect hiding behind a coconut tree.

The suspect was placed in the police unit and transported to the station for processing.

He was Mirandized, acknowledging his rights but requested that his lawyer be present during questioning. The suspect failed to provide a phone number for his lawyer.

He was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The affidavit also noted that the matter between the couple had worsened since the suspect’s release from TCF after a similar incident that occurred on September 30, 2025.

The defendant is identified as a 53-year-old citizen of Samoa.