Sea Oak crime yacht allegedly taken from Pago Pago [1]
Thursday, February 16, 2017 - 15:47. Updated on Thursday, February 16, 2017 - 15:57.
The yacht Sea Oak, allegedly the scene of a murder in Vava'u, is reported to have been removed from Pago Pago in American Samoa and taken to Fiji. Murder accused Dean Jay Fletcher fled from Tonga on the Sea Oak in September last year before he was arrested in Pago Pago.
Fletcher, an American citizen is accused of murdering his wife Patricia Linne Kearney, a Canadian, in July 2016 when he allegedly assaulted her on the yacht, while they were anchored in Vava'u. Fletcher who escaped from Police custody in Neiafu, is believed to be in the custody of the U.S Marshals in Hawaii.
Now allegations have emerged from the yachting community that the yacht was recently removed from Pago Pago and sold in Fiji.
Matangi Tonga has received unconfirmed reports from a reader that the yacht has been reregistered in another name.
"The yacht has been removed to Fiji...From my understanding, people flew in from overseas to Pago Pago, removed the name 'Seaoak'...This boat has been renamed.
"The ownership of the yacht has been registered in the name of Dean Fletcher's mother's maiden name."
Extradition
Tonga’s Acting Attorney General ‘Aminiasi Kefu, who is working to extradite Fletcher from the US to face the murder charge in Tonga, said today he had no knowledge of the removal of the yacht from Pago Pago.
“I do not know about this."
Meanwhile, Tonga Police have not confirmed the current whereabouts of the yacht.
On February 1, United States District Court for the District of Hawaii had found that Fletcher, charged with the murder of his wife in Tonga, is extraditable for each of the offences in which the Government of Tonga had applied for his return to Tonga.
The Magistrate Judge issued a Certification of Extraditability and Order of Commitment for Fletcher who escaped from police custody in Vava'u.
The new U.S Secretary of State is expected to give final approval for the extradition before April 1 this year. This is unless Fletcher applies for habeas corpus on basis that the court order is unlawful, and then the court process continues.
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS YACHT AND ITS WHEREABOUTS? Please contact us. - Ed. matangi [at] matangitonga [dot] to