Man reported for stabbing wife with fork — after assaulting her

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On June 14, 2025, a man called the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) and reported a domestic dispute between a couple. The reporter alleged that the suspect allegedly stabbed his wife’s hand with a metal fork during an altercation.

The suspect was arrested and later charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300.00, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class D felony punishable by imprisonment not to exceed five years, a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $5,000.00.

According to the court affidavit, on June 14, 2025 at about 7:26 p.m., FPS received a call from an individual (later identified as the reporter) requesting police assistance regarding a domestic dispute.

Police officers proceeded to the scene, where an unknown male in his late 30s or early 40s and his wife approached them and the man identified himself as the reporter.

According to the reporter, before leaving home, around 7 p.m., for shopping with his family, he saw the suspect, Toe, drinking in front of their house. When they later returned home, he witnessed the suspect beating up his wife (the victim).

The reporter explained that Toe beat up the victim using his closed fist and then he grabbed a fork and stabbed the victim’s hand once.

The reporter further stated that he told his wife to get their kids and go to another house while he called the police for help. The reporter also informed the officers that this is not the first time this had happened. He explained that they all live together in the same house with the suspect and his wife.

After the reporter’s interview, his wife then directed the officers to where Toe and the victim’s room was located. Upon arriving at the room, it was locked. The officers knocked on the door and a man’s voice answered with slurred speech, asking who was at the door.

The authorities identified themselves as police officers, and a female opened the door. The officers observed her trying to hold back tears while holding her bleeding hand. They also observed a man sitting on the floor holding a can of beer.

The woman was asked to step out of the room and she identified herself as the victim and confirmed that the man who was sitting was the suspect. Toe was immediately handcuffed and transported to the police station for further investigation.

While transporting the suspect, authorities detected a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his breath and clothing.

When they arrived at the FPS, the victim was interviewed and provided a statement.

According to the victim’s verbal statement, “it was nothing new to her to argue with her husband every time he’s drunk.” The victim explained that her husband was jealous of a tomboy who was a friend of her sister. They got into an argument and she tried to calm the suspect but he got louder and yelled out profanities. In response, she slapped him in the face, which caused a minor injury to the right side of his lip. As a result, the suspect got furious and started punching her using a closed fist which led to him grabbing a fork and stabbing her hand but it only scratched her.

She went into the room and Toe came and apologized to her, admitting he was wrong. The victim later provided a written statement.

An investigation later revealed that the fork used was a standard metal dinner fork.

The suspect was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant was identified as Toefuataina Ropeti, a 46-year-old citizen of Samoa.