What Happened
A Fiji court has found Bradley Robert Dawson, 40, from Memphis, Tennessee, guilty of murdering his wife, Christe Chen, 36, during their honeymoon in 2022. The verdict was delivered last week by Justice Riyaz Hamza in the Lautoka High Court after a weeklong trial.
Chen was killed at the exclusive Turtle Island resort in Fiji’s Yasawa archipelago just two days after the couple arrived. She was discovered in their room with multiple blunt trauma injuries to her head. Resort staff found her body after the couple failed to attend breakfast and lunch following an argument the night before.
The Crime
Dawson fled the resort by kayak after the incident, carrying his passport and other personal items. He was later apprehended on a nearby island. The judge cited this evidence as an indication that Dawson intended to escape. Justice Hamza stated he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Dawson was responsible for the crime.
The Sentence
Dawson remains in custody in Fiji and faces a mandatory life sentence. Fiji law allows the presiding judge to set a minimum term before a pardon can be considered. The sentencing is scheduled for January.
Victim’s Background
Christe Chen worked as a pharmacist at a Kroger supermarket in Memphis and had previously been a pastry chef. Her parents’ lawyer, Ronald Gordon, revealed that her injuries were so severe that her body could not be embalmed for return to the United States. She was cremated in Fiji.
The Couple and Their Location
The Turtle Island resort, where the couple stayed, is a private 500-acre property that accommodates only 14 couples at a time. It is located in the Yasawa Islands, a remote volcanic chain in western Fiji.
Bradley Dawson was employed in the IT department of Youth Villages, a Memphis-based nonprofit organization supporting child welfare. Records indicate he had no prior criminal arrests in Shelby County, Tennessee.
Next Steps
Dawson’s sentencing in January will determine the minimum term he must serve before a pardon could be considered. His attorney has not commented on the case, and the victim’s family continues to seek closure following the tragic event.
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