Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 3, 2024, at about 1:00pm, a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Substation regarding an alleged disturbance occurring at their aunt’s residence in Ottoville involving her sister and sister’s fiancé. The defendants were identified as Tereise Sunia and Tanumaleu Luani.

The caller explained that she was not at the scene while contacting the TPS, however it was her mother who was at the scene who asked her to reach out to the TPS for assistance. It was revealed that the two individuals were arguing about drugs.

According to the caller, “it has been an ongoing matter.”

Both Luani and Sunia were charged with one count of Private Peace Disturbance (DV) — a class C misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen (15) days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both.

In addition, Ms Sunia was charged with a second count of Assault in the Third Degree (DV) — a class C misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen (15) days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both.

Bail for the defendants was set at $300 each.

Upon arrival at the scene, police officers met with Sunia’s mother and sister. Sunia’s sister explained that both Luani and Sunia live at their aunt’s house in Ottoville, and it was when the caller’s mother contacted her regarding a verbal argument between Sunia and Luani that the caller reached out to the TPS for further assistance. Sunia’s mother was concerned because of a fight that occurred between the two suspects.

Sunia’s mother provided a verbal statement in which she explained that she “unexpectedly decided to visit Sunia and Luani to drop off their ASPA Debit token and was shocked to see Luani running to her with blood running down from his hand.” As she tried to figure out what happened to him, Luani kept saying that Sunia came at him with a knife and that he needed medical attention. It was then that Sunia’s mother contacted her husband to take Luani to the hospital to receive medical treatment because “he had deep cuts on his right arm and blood was running.” Sunia’s mother also called her older daughter to contact her father and the TPS for further assistance.

Sunia’s mother walked around the house and saw that the “entire window had been shattered into pieces and it was scattered in the living room.”

Ms. Sunia explained what had happened between her and Luani to her mother and stated that “she told Luani to leave her alone but he did not want to leave her alone where it escalated to a fight.”

Sunia’s mother further explained that Luani was trying to stop Sunia from closing all the windows as they argued about drugs.

Investigation by police officers revealed that Sunia and Luani, who reside at Sunia’s maternal aunt’s home in Ottoville, began allegedly arguing over drugs. Officers at the scene explained that Sunia would need to be taken to the TPS for further investigation. Pictures of the scene were taken by police officers.

Sunia was Mirandized upon arrival at TPS and she agreed to make a statement regarding the fight between her and her fiancé.

She stated that when she woke up, she couldn’t see their car from the bedroom. She expressed that she was hungry but what upset her was that when she got up, “the car was parked on the other side facing the other way” as if Luani had gone somewhere.

She was ignoring Luani but he kept bothering her and “she told him to leave her alone.” She continued to tell him to leave her alone but because he refused, she went back into the room and shut the door. Again, he followed her to the room, which angered her, causing her to pick things up off of the floor and throw them at him as she pushed him away.

 She stated that “she couldn’t stop him from bothering her then she grabbed a knife and chased after him with it where he ran out of the house giving her a big chance to shut the door and lock it.”

Sunia then explained that she saw Luani running towards a window so she “quickly closed it and clicked the lock.” As she was locking the first window, she noticed he ran to the next window so she did the same. It was when Luani tried to push open the next window, and she applied pressure on her end to close it that the glass cracked and shattered all over the floor.

Luani then told her that he was hurt and it was when she looked at his arm as it bled that she saw her mother pulling into the driveway and Luani running towards her mother.

Police officers conducted a follow up investigation at the LBJ Emergency Room to speak with Luani and to check on his condition. It was revealed that Luani was waiting on the doctor to apply stitches to the cut on his right arm.

Luani provided a verbal statement in which he shared details of the argument he had with Sunia. He explained that “the argument escalated to the point where he got hurt.”

He was then advised by police officers to make his way to the TPS after the hospital visit to make a statement.

The affidavit further stated that “during Luani and Sunia’s field interview and interrogation they have been acting as if they weren’t themselves.”

Both Sunia’s mother and older sister mentioned in their statements that the argument between Sunia and Luani was because of drugs. Also stated by Sunia’s mother and older sister was that this was an ongoing matter that had been witnessed by the two.

TERISE SUNIA

 On January 9, 2024, at about 3:25pm, the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) contacted the Vice and Narcotics Unit (VNU) requesting assistance in regards to a woman who was brought in for allegedly violating conditions set by the District Court. The woman was later identified as Tereise Sunia.

The defendant was charged with one count of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine) — a felony punishable by term of imprisonment of not less than five (5) nor more than ten (10) years and a fine of not less than $5000 nor more than $20,000, or both.

Bail for the defendant was set at $2000.

When the VNU arrived at the TPS, they were informed that Sunia was being booked for Contempt of Court when “officers discovered a glass tube that contained what appeared to be crystalline substance in her brown single sling pouch/ bag.” Police officers were “conducting inventory of her belongings” during her booking process when they discovered a glass tube and a plastic straw measuring at about 2 1⁄4 inches that was “covered by a black plastic glove”.

VNU then tested the crystalline substance from the glass tube using the Methamphetamine (meth) Field Test kit which confirmed a positive result for meth or ‘aisa’.

Sunia was Mirandized in the presence of her attorney and did not make a statement. She was referred back to the TPS Patrol Division for their investigation and booking.