US murder suspect who escaped from Tonga by yacht is located

AMERICAN SAMOA – An American sailor who escaped custody in Tonga by sailing his yacht out of the country has been detained in American Samoa.

Dean Jay Fletcher, 54, had been accused of the murder of his wife, who was found beaten to death while the couple were anchored in the northern islands of Vava‘u late in July.

He was due to appear in court next week, but in the early hours of last Thursday, Fletcher somehow managed to escape from a police cell in Neiafu and flee on his yacht Sea Oak.

Tongan maritime police gave chase, but after what was reported to be a dramatic five hour stand-off, including an incident where Fletcher allegedly fired flares at police and threatened to set their boat on fire, it was called off.

Despite aerial searches, no further sign of Fletcher’s yacht was found.

But on Monday, 600km to the north in American Samoa, a small white yacht was spotted sailing into Pago Pago Harbour.

On board was a tall, wiry man with straggly shoulder-length blonde hair who tried to refuel at the busy port, according to Monica Miller, RNZ International’s correspondent in Pago Pago.

“But there was a tanker in the way and the refuelling operations that normally take place did not occur that day,” Miller reported.

“So he was leaving, and in fact had been out maybe just over eight kilometres, when the marine patrol unit went out and brought the yacht back in.”

The Sea Oak was shepherded back to port and this time the man did not appear to put up any resistance.

The man, who the territory’s attorney-general later confirmed was Fletcher, appeared to be relatively unconcerned, said Miller, at one point observed taking a nap in the sun.

“There was a bit of confusion as to what basis he would be held, because we do not have an extradition treaty with Tonga.”

On Tuesday evening American Samoa’s police commissioner announced that Fletcher had been detained for a “customs violation”, and refused to give any further details.

In a statement, Tonga’s police commissioner, Steve Caldwell, said proceedings had begun with the Attorney General’s Office and the US Department of Justice to try and return Fletcher to Tonga.

He also announced that a team of senior officers had been sent to Vava‘u to investigate how Fletcher managed to escape police custody.

“I have obvious concerns over this matter,” said Caldwell. “People will be held to account if accepted procedures have not been followed.”

In American Samoa, authorities are trying to work out if Fletcher would be charged for the “customs violation” and how they could return him to Tonga.

“We don’t really have any precedent in this case,” said Miller. “In the more than 30 years I’ve been reporting here , I don’t recall anything like this happening before.

“But, I am told that American Samoa belongs to some transnational crime unit and there are protocols in place.” - RNZI