Michael Schuster has been officially charged in the murder of a 23-year-old man last week whose body was found in Vailoa with several stab wounds to his chest.

The Detective Criminal Investigation Division, led by Commander Lavata’i Taase Sagapolutele, served the 21-year-old defendant last Friday. The defendant was arrested early Wednesday morning, hours after the body was discovered. The victim and the defendant are both from Leone, however Schuster is living with his parents in Ili’ili behind the golf course.

The defendant is facing charges of second degree murder, assault first degree and tampering with and fabricating physical evidence.

District Court Judge Elvis Patea set a ‘no bail’ status for the defendant, who will appear today in District Court. 

Witnesses told Samoa News that CID detectives were seen at the Iliili residence executing a search warrant, and were seen Saturday morning taking boxes away from within the house.

According to witnesses there were four unmarked CID units parked at the residence in Iliili while the detectives were seen in and around the house. The CID Commander declined to comment as to the nature of their presence at the Iliili residence.

The victim was a 23-year-old male who lived in Leone, who was found dead with stab wounds to the chest, said DPS Commissioner Save Liuato Tuitele earlier this week.

He told Samoa News that there were five stab wounds, however at the scene, police did not find any blood stains or any indication the incident had occurred there. According to Save, the male victim resided in Leone.

Samoa News spoke to one of the witnesses who found the body, who stated that while clearing brush near his family residence in Vailoa, a girl came crying to him, asking if he could check her boyfriend, whom she had found motionless. The witness told Samoa News that when he checked on the male, the shirt was bloody, and when he pulled it up, he saw the stab wounds.

He then contacted the police seeking assistance. The male was officially pronounced dead at the hospital and was identified later by a family member. The young male victim was from Samoa, but was working in Leone, and was not married.