Tonga's murder accused making calls from American Samoa [1]
Wednesday, October 12, 2016 - 23:21. Updated on Thursday, October 13, 2016 - 09:22.
American Dean Jay Fletcher (54) who remains behind bars in Pago Pago on a charge of entering the territory illegally, is said to have used a guard’s mobile phone allegedly to call someone in Tonga.
Media reports from American Samoa today said this was revealed during Fletcher's appearance in a district court, where the judge was informed that inmates at this local jail get to use guards’ mobile phones to make calls out. Inmates call on the mobile phones of whoever is on duty at the office.
The judge sensed that Fletcher was communicating from inside the prison to an associate in Tonga and wanted to know how he was able to do it.
Tonga
Meanwhile in Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s Attorney General’s Office last week asked the United States for a provisional arrest warrant on Fletcher.
He is accused of murdering his wife Patricia Linne Kearney on July 6 in Neiafu, Vava'u. He also faces, in the alternative, charges of manslaughter or causing grievous harm, and interference with the course of justice, as well as two counts of escape from lawful custody.
Fletcher fled police custody on September 29 and sailed to American Samoa in his yacht "Sea Oak".
Work has been ongoing to extradite him from American Samoa to Tonga to be tried for the murder.