5 Oct 2016

Fugitive US sailor remanded in American Samoa

4:26 pm on 5 October 2016
The yacht Sea Oak

The yacht Sea Oak Photo: Tauva Esera

The US citizen who escaped Tonga on his yacht after being suspected of killing his wife has been in court in American Samoa charged with unlawfully entering Pago Pago harbour.

Dean Jay Fletcher was arrested after being identified as the man who had fled from a jail in Vava'u last week.

Mr Fletcher was found to have entered the port without proper documents and without a yellow flag or any proof of clearance form the last port.

While in court the defendant tried talking straight to the District Court Judge Fiti Sunia but was stopped and told to get a lawyer.

Judge Sunia has denied bail because the defendant is alleged to be involved a murder case.

A pre-trial is set for 26th October.

Dean Jay Fletcher

Dean Jay Fletcher taking a nap after arriving from Tonga in Pago Pago Photo: Tauva Esera