Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On February 13, 2024, a Nu’uuli resident contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) regarding two men fighting and one who was severely injured. The suspect allegedly struck the victim three times with a machete and also kicked him three times in the face. The victim had reportedly come to the defendant’s house to pick a fight, and smelled of alcohol.

The suspect, Ioane Vaisagote, was arrested and charged with Count 1: Assault in the First Degree — a class A felony punishable by a term of life imprisonment, or a term of years of not less than 10 and not exceeding 30 years.

The suspect’s bail was set at $50,000.

According to the affidavit, on February 13, 2024, a concerned resident of Nu’uuli called the TPS for assistance in regards to two men who fought and one of the men was severely injured.

Police officers were dispatched to the scene and upon arrival the officers immediately observed two men tending to the injured man. One of the officers rendered aid to the victim who was later identified as Bob Stanley.

At this time, another officer was directed inside the house where a middle-aged man, later identified as Ioane Vaisagote, was located; and who  “said that he was the one that bashed B. Stanley with his machete.”

Vaisagote was immediately apprehended and transported to the TPS for further investigation, while the victim, Stanley, in his private vehicle, accompanied by a police officer, also went to the TPS.  At the same time, TPS contacted EMS to help the victim who was severely injured.

Upon arrival at the TPS, EMS paramedics treated the victim. According to the paramedics, the victim sustained “two big and deep cuts on both arms, another cut on the left side of the head and swelling on his right side face.” They recommended that he be taken to the hospital for treatment.

Before the victim was taken to the hospital, one of the officers tried to speak to him and asked if the victim could remember anything. In response, the victim kept saying “he didn’t fight and nothing happened” and that is when the officer detected an odor of alcohol from the victim.

At the TPS, Vaisagote was Mirandized and agreed to make a statement.

According to Vaisagote, he was in “his room just chilling and watching on his phone, when he heard a noise outside like someone’s car had parked outside.” 

The affidavit states that the suspect said “he didn’t pay attention to it until he heard a man yelling to his daughter asking her, ‘Where the hell is the man who owns this car?’

“That’s when he got up and looked out and saw B. Stanley.”

Vaisagote explained that he walked up to Stanley and asked him what he was doing at his house and told him “he didn't want to see him and that he needed to leave his house.”

However, Stanley stood there and yelled at him, asking him “What are you doing with my girl?” as if Stanley wanted to fight.

The suspect explained that his girls were at home and Stanley was being too loud, so he tried to scare him off by grabbing the machete that was next to the door and told the victim that he needed to leave. However, Stanley “didn’t flinch at all and was still yelling at him.”

He admitted he was so mad at Stanley that he swung the machete and hit the victim’s left arm. “He swung again and he couldn’t remember if it missed his head or ear.

“The last time he swung it, it hit his right arm and Stanley fell on the ground.”

He allegedly continued to assault Stanley by kicking him in the right side of his face three times, “and that’s when the neighbors came and stopped him.”

The affidavit states that the suspect was asked if he had any intentions to hurt Stanley in such a cruel manner and he replied “no”.

He was also asked if there was any history between him and the victim and Vaisagote replied “yes”, saying “he had an affair with B. Stanley’s girlfriend… in the past but everything was settled and talked about on both sides.”

Vaisagote continued that “at the beginning of this year, he found out about B. Stanley’s affair with his wife… That matter was also settled.”

The defendant said he was shocked when Stanley showed up at his house unannounced.

The investigation disclosed that Vaisagote used a machete to hit Stanley three times and kicked him three times as well.

The defendant is identified as a 39-year-old citizen of Samoa.