Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On April 15, 2026, a woman contacted the Leone Police Station (LPS) regarding a woman, Wendy Tavili, who allegedly threatened her with a hammer after a verbal altercation.

Tavili was later arrested and charged with:

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

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of not more than fifteen days, a fine of not less than $150, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

According to the court affidavit, local police were called to a residence in Futiga on April 15, 2026 after a woman contacted authorities claiming that her sister-in-law was causing a disturbance and had threatened to strike her with a hammer.

Authorities responded to the call and upon arrival, met with the victim outside the residence. Court records state that officers also observed another woman at the scene who was identified as the suspect in the matter.

Investigators say the victim immediately reported that the suspect had approached her while holding a hammer and issued a direct threat, warning that she would use it to strike her. Due to the seriousness of the allegation and the presence of what police described as a dangerous weapon, officers quickly moved in and took the suspect into custody at the scene without further incident.

The victim later provided both verbal and written statements to investigators, outlining what she described as days of rising tension inside the household.

According to her account, the conflict began as a disagreement involving family responsibilities, particularly work related to the family plantation and household expectations.

Court records indicated that frustrations had been building between members of the extended family over who was contributing labor and whether certain work had been completed. What may have started as disagreement over chores and responsibilities reportedly evolved into personal insults, verbal attacks, and growing hostility between the two women living under the same roof.

The victim informed the police officers that during one confrontation, harsh words were exchanged inside the home. Tempers reportedly flared as accusations and insults were thrown back and forth, escalating the argument from a verbal dispute into a situation that allegedly became physically threatening.

The affidavit stated that matters reached a breaking point when the suspect allegedly armed herself with a hammer, approached the victim, and threatened to strike her in the head. The threat, reportedly delivered in Samoan, was described in court records as a direct warning that she would come over and hit the victim’s head with the hammer.

The victim’s brother — who is married to the suspect — was also interviewed by police and reportedly confirmed key parts of the account. According to the victim’s brother, he told investigators that the argument centered on plantation work and ongoing disagreements within the household, and he witnessed his wife allegedly confront his sister while holding the hammer and threatening violence.

Police later questioned the suspect after she was Mirandized. The suspect waived her rights and agreed to answer questions.

During the interview, the suspect admitted that after the argument had taken place, she approached the victim with the hammer, and confirmed that she threatened to hit her in the head.

She also reportedly told investigators that the conflict between herself and her husband’s sister had not been a one-time dispute, but an ongoing issue that had been simmering for several days before boiling over into the confrontation that led to police involvement.

Following the interview, authorities booked the suspect and transported her to the Tafuna Correctional Facility, where she was confined pending her appearance before the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 49-year-old citizen of Samoa.

The affidavit was filed in the District Court on April 20, 2026.

[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. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court.]