Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On September 16, 2026, a woman called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report that her brother was allegedly causing a disturbance inside their home by allegedly threatening his mother, sister, and girlfriend, and causing property damage.

The suspect was later charged with:
Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance (DV), a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of not more than $500, or both imprisonment and fine;
Count 2: Assault in Second Degree (DV), a class C felony punishable by imprisonment for up to seven years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both; and,
Count 3 & 4: Property Damage in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine not more than $1,000, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

According to the court affidavit, after the suspect's sister contacted authorities requesting immediate police assistance.

The sister, when contacting the police via phone, said that her brother, Raymond Puni, also known as “Manatua” or “Tua,” allegedly became violent following an argument with his girlfriend over messages he discovered on her cellphone.

She reported that her brother was causing a disturbance inside their family home by yelling, using profanity, and breaking several glass window louvers in the living room. She added that Puni had threatened their mother, saying he was going to break the windows of her vehicle.

Police officers responded to the residence, and upon arriving they made contact with the suspect's mother and sister. However, Puni had already fled the area. 

According to the report, while officers were speaking with the family members, Puni repeatedly contacted his sister by telephone and continued making threats.

During one of the calls, Puni allegedly threatened to return to the residence and smash all the house windows with his cricket bat.

Approximately one minute later, the suspect reportedly called his mother's phone and threatened to return and break the windows of her vehicle, as well as the police unit parked outside the residence.

Officers observed that both women appeared frightened and panicked by the threats.

Police attempted to calm the women down and began making arrangements to remove them from the residence for their safety.

However, the suspect reportedly called again and informed the family that he was waiting along the road.

During the call, Puni allegedly threatened to throw stones at his mother's vehicle if she attempted to leave the property accompanied by police officers.

Before leaving the property, the officers photographed the damaged window louvers inside the residence, as evidence.

Before leaving the scene, the suspect's mother informed officers that Puni's girlfriend was already seated inside her vehicle. She explained that she had placed the girlfriend in the vehicle to protect her from the suspect.

Officers subsequently searched the surrounding area in an attempt to locate Puni, but he was nowhere to be found.

Due to the repeated threats made against the family, officers activated their police unit's emergency lights and escorted the mother's vehicle to the TPS.

MOTHER'S STATEMENT

Upon arriving at the police station, the suspect's mother appeared calmer but remained concerned about the situation at her residence. During an interview with investigators, she explained that the disturbance began when her son and his girlfriend became involved in an argument inside the house.

The mother explained that Puni began yelling and using offensive Samoan language as the argument escalated. She further alleged that her son attempted to strike his girlfriend with a cricket bat.

Concerned for the girlfriend's safety, the mother reportedly intervened and attempted to calm her son. However, instead of calming down, Puni allegedly became increasingly aggressive.

The mother told investigators that her son grabbed the cricket bat and began striking the front door of the residence before smashing several glass window louvers.

She further stated that Puni threatened to break the windows of her vehicle.

Moreover, she continued that her son then proceeded to the garage, where he continued striking various objects with the cricket bat. The mother also alleged that Puni destroyed his girlfriend's cellphone by striking it with the bat until it shattered.

As the situation continued to escalate, the mother instructed her daughter to contact police for assistance.

During the interview, the mother told investigators that this was not the first time her son had experienced a similar outburst or threatened to damage the family home.

She explained that Puni lived at the residence with her and his sister.

The mother expressed serious concerns about returning home while her son remained un-located. She said that she was frightened of what he might do if he returned to the residence.

As a result, she decided to stay at a hotel rather than return home until her son could be located and confined.

GIRLFRIEND'S STATEMENT

Police also interviewed Puni's girlfriend at TPS to obtain additional information regarding the events leading up to the disturbance.

According to her verbal statement, the argument began when Puni went through old messages on her cellphone involving other men.

She explained that Puni became upset after discovering the messages and began questioning her about them. As his anger increased, she reportedly took the cellphone away from him.

However, the phone became locked, prompting Puni to repeatedly demand that she provide him with the passcode.

The girlfriend told investigators that she refused to give him the passcode, which caused him to become aggressive.

She also stated that both the suspect's mother and sister attempted to intervene and calm him down.

Despite their efforts, Puni reportedly continued becoming increasingly upset.

SISTER RECEIVES REPEATED THREATS

Investigators also attempted to obtain a formal statement from the suspect's sister, who initially contacted police for assistance.

However, according to the report, officers were unable to collect a written statement from her at that time because she remained visibly panicked and frightened by her brother's repeated telephone calls.

Police noted that Puni continued contacting his sister while officers were investigating the matter.

During these calls, he allegedly threatened her for speaking with police and reporting his actions.

The sister mentioned that Puni threatened to break all the windows of the family home and the vehicles at the residence. The suspect also warned her and told her that she was going to “get it” when he returned home.

Due to her emotional state, investigators instead provided her with a written statement form so that her account could be collected later as part of the ongoing investigation.

Police documented the reported threats and the damage to the family residence as part of their investigation.

Despite searching the area surrounding the residence, officers were unable to locate Puni during their initial response. The suspect remained at large.

To date, it is unknown if the suspect was located and subsequently apprehended.

Raymond Puni is identified as a 25-year-old U.S national.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on Sept. 21, 2026.

As with all criminal cases, the allegations outlined in court filings remain accusations at this stage, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision.]