Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On August 7, 2026, a Fagatogo resident contacted the local authorities reporting a burglary at his home. Two men were later identified in alleged connection with the investigation.

The suspects were identified as Baoa Aiono and Filipo Neueli, and were later charged as follows:

Filipo Neuli was charged with:

Count 1: Burglary in the Second Degree, a class C felony punishable by imprisonment not to exceed seven years and fine not more than $5,000, or both imprisonment and fine; and,
Count 2: Stealing, a class C felony punishable by imprisonment not to exceed seven years and fine not more than $5,000, or both.

Baoa Aiono was charged with:

Count 1: Burglary in the First Degree, a class B felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than five years and not more than 10 years;
Count 2: Burglary in the Second Degree, a class C felony punishable by imprisonment not to exceed seven years and fine not more than $5,000, or both;
Count 3: Stealing, a class C felony punishable by imprisonment not to exceed seven years and fine not more than $5,000, or both; and,
Count 4: Property Damage in the Second Degree, a class C felony punishable by imprisonment not to exceed five years and fine not more than $5,000, or both.

Both defendants were held without bail.

According to the court affidavit, the police investigation subsequently found that burglars entered a family residence on three separate times in the early morning hours, on the same day/ night, while the homeowner and his family were asleep inside. 
Officers responding to the call went to the residence and met with the homeowner (later identified as the victim), who was standing on his porch with his children and holding his cellular phone.

The victim reportedly appeared shaken and spoke with a stutter while explaining to officers what had occurred.  

The residence is described as a two-story white-colored home with two levels of living space and a front porch, located behind the High Court of American Samoa.

The victim informed police that his home surveillance system had captured footage of two unknown males entering the residence. He agreed to provide the surveillance footage to the authorities as evidence.

Officers conducted an inspection of the residence and observed signs that the home had been disturbed. One of the rooms near the entryway was reportedly in disarray, with clothing hangers scattered across the floor. The homeowner told police that clothing was missing.

Officers also observed a pair of red slippers near the entryway and a dirty mark on the wall near a window.

The investigation continued into the living room, where papers and folders were reportedly scattered across the floor. The victim’s work desk and the surrounding area also appeared to have been disturbed.

The victim also reported that two black backpacks had been stolen. He explained that one backpack contained documents and property associated with his business, including financial documents, personal credit cards, bank cards, driver's licenses, immigration identification, U.S. passports, business records, daily sales reports and an undetermined amount of cash.

The second backpack contained important personal documents belonging to his four children, along with company documents and immigration- and visa-related paperwork.

Other property reported stolen included a JBL speaker valued at approximately $499, an iPad Mini 5 valued at approximately $199 and a Samsung T1 2TB solid-state drive valued at around $279.

The victim also reported missing clothing and shoes, which he estimated had a combined value of approximately $100 to $200.

In addition, a 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 laptop valued at about $2,099 was reportedly damaged beyond repair during the incident.

Police reviewed surveillance footage from the residence as well as footage from the High Court area.

The footage revealed three primary timeframes of interest, involving what police described as three separate unlawful entries by two different individuals.

The first entry occurred at approximately 2:33 a.m.

According to the affidavit, police identified Filipo Neueli, born March 19, 2005, as the individual seen approaching the residence and going up the exterior stairs toward the second floor.

The High Court surveillance footage reportedly showed a male wearing a long-sleeve shirt and shorts walking along the roadway toward the residence at approximately 2:32 a.m.

The individual initially attempted to open the front door but was unsuccessful. He then reportedly moved toward the front side of the residence and opened a window that appeared to have been unsecured before entering the home through the window.

Police stated that the clothing worn by the individual was consistent with clothing seen in the surveillance footage from inside the residence, and the individual was identified as Neueli.

Additional footage from the residence reportedly showed an individual wearing a gray long-sleeve sweater and shorts entering through a window of a room near the entryway.

The individual allegedly moved through the hallway and into the living room, where he appeared to look around to determine whether anyone was present. The individual then reportedly searched the living room and removed a black JBL speaker.

He was also seen returning to the room, which he entered carrying a black backpack, additional bags and the speaker.

Police identified the individual in this footage as Neueli.

A second entry occurred at approximately 3:42 a.m., this time by two individuals.

According to surveillance footage, two males wearing sweaters were seen walking along the roadway in front of the residence. One was wearing shorts while the other wore long pajama-style pants.

The two individuals reportedly stopped in front of the residence. The individual wearing shorts appeared to be carrying a black, square-shaped item believed to be a speaker.

The two then walked toward the side of a store located across the roadway from the residence. Moments later, the individual wearing the long pajama-style pants reportedly returned to the residence and stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

He looked back toward the other male, who remained near the store.

Police observed the male near the store pointing upward toward the second floor of the residence.

At approximately 3:43 a.m., surveillance footage reportedly captured the individual wearing the long pajama-style pants on the second floor of the residence.

He allegedly walked to a window and entered through the open window without apparent difficulty.
Additional footage from inside the resident captured at approximately 3:48 a.m., showed a male walking around inside the living room. The footage provided a clear view of his face.

After reviewing the footage, officers identified the individual as Baoa Aiono, born November 12, 2006.

The affidavit also stated that Aiono was known to officers from previous stealing/ burglary incidents reported in Fagatogo.

High Court surveillance footage from approximately 3:42 a.m. also reportedly showed two males walking toward the store across from the residence.

One male wearing a long-sleeve shirt and long pants was seen walking toward the residence, going up the stairs and approaching the open window. Police stated that the footage was consistent with footage from the residence and with statements later provided by Aiono.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE SUSPECTS

The victim later provided police with additional surveillance footage.

His wife also gave officers a gray and navy-blue reversible long-sleeve sweater that she had found inside the home. She told police that the sweater appeared to be associated with the individuals who entered the residence and did not belong to either her or her husband.

In an effort to identify the individuals captured on camera, the victim posted images and videos from the incident online.

At approximately 12:05 p.m. on Aug. 7, a woman who had previously been a victim in a stealing case involving Aiono went to the Central Police Station and spoke with one of the officers.

After viewing the surveillance videos with police, she reportedly identified the two individuals as Aiono and Neueli.
 

AIONO'S INTERVIEW

On Aug. 8, police located Aiono in Fagatogo at approximately 11:15 a.m. He agreed to accompany officers to the Fagatogo Central Police Station (FPS) for questioning.

Upon arrival at the station, Aiono was Mirandized and he stated that he understood his rights, waived them and agreed to provide a statement.

During the interview, Aiono reportedly admitted that he entered the residence twice. He also stated that during one of the entries, Neueli remained outside and acted as a lookout.

Moreover, Aiono admitted that he and Neueli's younger brother had gone to Neueli's residence in Fagatogo to drop off the younger brother. As he was leaving, Neueli allegedly approached him and said he had just come from the victim's residence and that one of the upstairs windows remained open.

Aiono also told police that as he and Neueli walked toward the residence, the two exchanged sweaters.

Aiono reportedly gave Neueli his white sweater, while Neueli gave Aiono a reversible jacket or sweater that was navy blue on one side and gray on the other.

Neueli allegedly showed Aiono the open window.

Aiono stated that he went up the stairs while Neueli remained near the store across from the residence.

Once inside, Aiono reportedly observed clothing scattered across the floor and searched through it.

He said he went to a pile of clothing on a bed, removed the sweater he was wearing and put on a red shirt he found on the bed before putting his sweater back on.

Aiono then reportedly entered another room that appeared to be an office.

He said he saw a black backpack on the floor, picked it up and began making his way back to the window.

Aiono also reported seeing a pair of black Crocs, which he picked up before leaving through the second-floor window with the backpack and shoes.

ALLEGED DIVISION OF STOLEN PROPERTY

After leaving the residence, Aiono reportedly noticed that Neueli was no longer near the store, and he told police that he went to the side of the store to look for Neueli.

While walking behind the store, he stated that he heard someone whistle and saw Neueli and another male, identified as Faisea, sitting near the stairs by the pavilion.

Aiono claimed that he then handed the black backpack to Neueli who began removing items from it. 

Neueli allegedly warned Aiono and Faisea that surveillance cameras in the area might have captured them.

The three reportedly moved to the pavilion bathroom area, where Neueli continued removing property from the backpack.

Aiono told police that he saw Neueli remove a Samsung cellular phone, an undetermined amount of cash consisting of one-dollar bills, paper documents, several passports and several flash drives.

Aiono further stated that Neueli counted $10 in dollar bills and gave the money to Faisea, while instructing him not to tell anyone what had occurred.

Aiono also claimed that Neueli kept the cash, black Crocs, Samsung phone and flash drives, while he retained the backpack containing documents and passports.

Aiono also told police that Neueli insisted that they exchange footwear. Neueli allegedly took Aiono's white Crocs and gave him a pair of white-and-red flip-flops.

The three individuals then separated.

SECOND ALLEGED ENTRY BY AIONO

Aiono told investigators that he later returned to the residence at approximately 6 a.m.

He reportedly went back up the stairs and entered the home through the same second-floor window.

Inside, he allegedly collected several items of children's clothing that were lying on the floor and placed them inside the backpack.

While inside the residence, Aiono reportedly observed an open laptop. He told police that the laptop displayed his own image through the home's surveillance system and he admitted that he damaged the laptop and then unplugged the surveillance cameras.

He also removed the sweater he was wearing and left it inside the residence. Before leaving, he reportedly took a black T-shirt from a bed and put it on. He then removed the flip-flops he was wearing and exited through the second-floor window.

Aiono subsequently went to the residence of a female cousin in Fagatogo and gave her the backpack containing the clothing.

He reportedly told her that she could use the clothing for her daughter.

Aiono also provided police with information about where additional stolen property could be located.

Officers accompanied Aiono to the residence in Fagatogo, where they recovered a black backpack.

Aiono also directed police to an abandoned two-story structure where he claimed another backpack had been hidden. Officers searched the structure but were unable to locate it.

Aiono was subsequently released following the investigation.

NEUELI QUESTIONED

On Aug. 8, officers located Neueli at his residence in Fagatogo, and he agreed to accompany officers to the FPS for questioning.

After arriving at the station, he was advised of his constitutional rights and stated that he understood his rights, waived them and agreed to provide a statement.

Neueli denied entering or trespassing into the residence. He reportedly told investigators that he encountered Aiono, whom he knew as “Winky,” sitting near a gate in the vicinity of Chiko with a JBL speaker and an iPad.

When questioned about where Aiono obtained the speaker and iPad, Neueli reportedly stated that he had taken the items from Aiono.

Neueli admitted to police that he sold the JBL speaker to someone and said the iPad was at his residence. When questioned again about whether he had entered the residence, Neueli continued to deny doing so.

Investigators also questioned him about property removed from the backpack that Aiono allegedly handed to him.

Neueli initially denied removing any items.

However, he later changed his statement and admitted removing cash consisting of one-dollar bills.

He reportedly told police that the cash was divided among himself, Faisea and Aiono.

Officers later accompanied Neueli to his residence, where the iPad was recovered.

Neueli was subsequently released.

ADDITIONAL PROPERTY RECOVERED

The investigation continued as police worked to recover property taken from the residence.

On Aug. 8, an individual voluntarily went to the FPS regarding possible involvement in the investigation.

According to the affidavit, the individual initially denied knowing about a backpack that Aiono had allegedly brought to the residence and hidden there.

She later stated that she may have returned one of the backpacks containing files to the victim and said she would check her residence for additional property.

Police instructed the individual to bring any property belonging to the victim to the station.

Later that afternoon, the victim returned to the police station after being contacted regarding recovered property.

He also provided additional surveillance footage and told officers that a woman had dropped off a bag containing some of his property, which was consistent with information provided during the investigation. 

The victim expressed relief that some of the property had been recovered. However, he told police that several important items were still missing, including four passports, four Social Security cards, five birth certificates, important documents, paper checks, flash drives and a small black external hard drive.

At approximately 7 p.m. on Aug. 8, additional property was returned to the FPS.

On Aug. 9, the victim returned to the station and examined the recovered property. He confirmed that the items belonged to him and his family.

The recovered property included four passports, a merit certificate, a tradesman certificate, a paper check totaling $2,193.75, a checkbook, an immigration identification card, five birth certificates, four health/ birth certificates and a book.

Despite the recovery of the property, the homeowner told police that approximately 10 or more small flash drives and a small black external hard drive remained missing.
The affidavit was filed in the District Court on August 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.

The information did not say when the suspects were taken into custody.

[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.