Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On December 30, 2024, a victim contacted the authorities and reported that her sister and her husband allegedly assaulted her. The victim’s sister fled the scene but her husband was apprehended and arrested.

Both suspects were later charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both; and,

Count 2: 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.

The defendants’ bails were set at $2,000 each.

According to the court affidavit, on Dec. 30th, at about 1:55 a.m., a female (later identified as the victim) had a verbal altercation with her sister Teroa Faletoi (Suspect #1) and her husband Samuelu Tupuola (Suspect #2).

An investigation into the incident revealed that the altercation escalated when Tupuola walked up to the victim and punched her in the face and Faletoi jumped and pulled the victim’s hair and started scratching her face.

Tupuola also saw one of the victim’s friends leaving in their vehicle, whereas he threw the front of its windshield with a bucket.

The police officers responded to the matter and upon arrival, they met up with the victim where she was interviewed regarding the incident.

According to the victim’s verbal statement, her Filipino friends came to fix their debit meter and her sister’s husband came and yelled at her. She then yelled back and told him that her friends were there to fix their debit meter. However, Suspect #2 continued yelling and calling her names.

Moreover, the victim explained that her sister (Suspect #1) came out and started yelling at her for bringing different people into their house late at night.

The victim continued that the altercation went on for a while, when Samuelu rushed up to where she was standing and punched her in the face which left a laceration under her eye.

Furthermore, the victim stated that when she was punched by Samuelu, her sister jumped in and pulled her hair and scratched her face.

The victim said that her boyfriend pulled her back from the suspects to which she went inside and contacted the police station for help.

The officers were also able to speak with the victim’s boyfriend who was a witness to the incident.

According to the victim’s boyfriend, he saw Samuelu hit his girlfriend and Faletoi jump in and hit his girlfriend from the back. He intervened and pulled back his girlfriend and took her inside the house.

Authorities also were able to speak with one of the victim’s friends who was also a witness to the incident.

According to the victim’s friend, he and his other friend went to drop off the debit meter for which the victim had asked. He explained that both suspects came out and started arguing in front of them and he saw Suspect #2 attack the victim by aiming a punch at the victim’s face. Suspect #1 then came from the back and pulled the victim’s hair into the house. The witness explained that he turned his car on and made an exit, but Suspect #2 threw a bucket onto the windshield of his car.

Suspect #2 was apprehended when police arrived at the scene — Suspect #1 had fled the scene before the police arrived.

Upon arrival at the TPS, Suspect #2 was Mirandized and agreed to make a statement.

According to Samuelu’s verbal statement, the victim brought different people to their house late at night and it got him and his wife mad. He stated that they were mad that she brought people in after they had just mopped their house. He also claimed that he was not involved in anything that happened and it was just his wife and the victim that fought.

Samuelu or Suspect #2 was booked and later transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to be confined awaiting the next available sitting of the District Court.

The victim sustained injuries under her left eye and scratches from the left side of her head down to her eye.

Defendant or Suspect #1 is identified as a 36-year-old citizen of Samoa, and Defendant or Suspect #2 is identified as a 49-year-old U.S citizen.