Main, left to right: Christe Chen (Facebook) and Bradley Robert Dawson (FBC News). Inset: Dawson and Chen (Instagram).
A 40-year-old man from Tennessee may spend the rest of his life behind bars in Fiji after being convicted of killing his wife, beating her to death while the couple were on their honeymoon two years ago. Bradley Robert Dawson last week was found guilty of murder in the 2022 slaying of 36-year-old Christe Chen.
Following a weeklong trial, Justice Riyaz Hamza of the High Court of Lautoka on Thursday said he was satisfied the evidence presented by prosecutors proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Dawson was the person responsible for killing Chen, according to a report from the Fiji Times. The justice specifically noted that upon his arrest, authorities found Dawson in possession of his passport and personal items, indicating that he was planning on fleeing the country.
“For the aforesaid reasons, I am of the opinion that the defense’s version cannot be believed, and the same version is rejected,” Hamza reportedly said. “Having analyzed all the evidence in its totality, I am of the opinion that the prosecution witnesses were all truthful, credible, and reliable in their testimony. From the totality of the evidence, I am satisfied that the prosecution has disapproved of the defense of provocation. Having considered all the evidence in its totality, I am of the opinion that the prosecution has proved the charge of murder against the accused beyond reasonable doubt.”
As previously reported by Law&Crime, Chen’s murder took place on July 9, 2022, in a hotel room at the luxury Turtle Island resort in the Yasawa Islands, an archipelago that makes up the Western Division of the Melanesian island country. The attack took place only two days into the couple’s honeymoon at the exclusive resort.
Staffers at the resort discovered Chen inside of the room suffering from massive blunt force trauma wounds to her head after another guest filed a noise complaint. The previous evening, the couple could reportedly be heard arguing and failed to show up for breakfast or lunch.
The Turtle Island Resort only takes in 14 couples at a time, according to a previous report from ABC News.
One of those other vacationers reportedly told police that the Dawsons seemed happy on the evening of this alleged fight, but she later heard “loud banging sounds” from their room
“It was as if someone was drunk and unable to control themselves inside,” she said. “And then we heard a loud scream followed by a big loud bang and after that there were complete silence.”
A resort staff member told the outlet they did receive a noise complaint regarding the Dawson room but waited until the following day to check on the couple.
Chen’s injuries were so severe that her family was forced to have her cremated in Fiji because her body could not be cremated and transported back to the United States, Memphis CBS affiliate WREG reported.
Chen was an award-winning pharmaceutical scientist who graduated from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Her research was focused on social determinants of health, particularly in low-income areas. She most recently worked for the Kroger chain of grocery stores as a pharmacist in the Memphis area.
“I am excited to see the improvement in medication adherence after patients receive resources to help their disparities,” she said after securing funds for her research earlier in 2022. “The grant will give me a way to deliver training to pharmacy personnel, as well as present this idea to other pharmacists throughout the nation.”
Following his arrest, Dawson told ABC News that he had never been in a physical altercation with Chen, whom he referred to as “my everything.”
“What I can say is I am so sorry for the situation we are all going through now. We were supposed to have amazing holidays and I lost my wife,” he said. “Just thinking she is not here anymore is so painful. I am thinking of her all the time. We were supposed to have an amazing life.”
Dawson added that he was “praying every day” for Chen.
Dawson is currently scheduled to be formally sentenced on Jan. 27, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Colin Kalmbacher and Alberto Luperon contributed to this report.
