Intruder caught after he lost his shirt

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 19-year-old who’s accused of breaking into a home in Pavaiai and then managed to get away before the occupants woke up and saw him, was identified after he dropped his shirt in the family’s living room.

The intruder, Avia Eti made his initially appearance in District Court last week.

He is charged with one count of 1st degree burglary, a class B felony, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than five years nor more than fifteen years; along with one count of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of underage drinking and one count of trespass, all class A misdemeanors.

Bail is set at $10,000.

THE CASE

On Feb. 21, 2021 a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report that an unknown male who was later identified as Avia Eti broke into their residence in Pava’ia’i. Several police officers responded to the said incident and met up with the reporter and she showed officers the point of entry — which was through a daughter’s room.

The reporter further stated to police that the intruder fled the scene and dropped a polo shirt in the living room and the shirt smelled like BBQ. Officers confiscated the shirt from the scene for evidence.

The reporter explained to officers that she saw Eti allegedly crawl next to her daughter who was sleeping on the floor. She got up, screamed at Eti and ran towards him but he took off running and jumped out of the window. She ran towards the front door saw Eti and other unknowns individuals running towards the woods.

Investigators interviewed a 17-year-old girl regarding this incident. She is identified as X.P in the affidavit. According to X.P’s statement to investigators, she stated that night of the incident as she was in her room she heard someone tapping on her window and therefore, she decided to sleep in the living room with her mom.

About two minutes later, Eti started messaging and calling her using messenger asking where she was and wanting to see her, that’s when she blocked Eti on Facebook because she felt uncomfortable.

X.P stated that while asleep, she felt someone grab her hand, and realized her mom was yelling at someone. She immediately got up and saw Eti running towards her sister’s room and jumped out her sister’s window leaving his shirt behind. X.P was able to identify the individual as Eti because that was the shirt Eti wore that same night at a family birthday party near her residence.

X.P also stated that on the next morning, Feb. 21st, she went with her mom to Eti’s home, which is one house away from her house and confronted Eti about the break-in and Eti at first denied; but X.P’s mother kept asking Eti numerous times and it was Eti’s family that first admitted that he was the one that broke into her house. X.P and her mother also showed Eti the picture of the shirt that was left in the living room and Eti then admitted to X.P it was his.

About 9:30a.m on Feb. 21st, a member of the victim’s family contacted the TPS and reported that they had found the person that broke into their house and he’s at his residence. Several officers responded and met with Eti and his parents. Eti was immediately apprehended and transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Eti was Mirandized to which he said he understood and waived his rights and said he wanted to make a statement regarding the incident.

According to Eti’s statement to investigators, he went to his uncle’s house to help out cooking BBQ for his girl-cousin’s birthday. After that they hung out playing billiards and drank five bottles of beer. At around 2:30a.m he walked with his cousins, dropped them off at the driveway for them to go home. He then messaged X.P and called her on the phone but she didn’t reply.

That’s when he decided to go to her residence,  and he opened the screen wire to X.P sister’s room, jumped inside and went looking for X.P. He noticed X.P sleeping in the living room and went to wake her up so they can hang out, but his aunt (the caller) woke up yelling out saying, “Someone is inside the house” that’s when he ran back to X.P sister’s room and exited through the window where he entered and fled. Eti further stated that he dropped his shirt in the house while running away.

Investigators showed Eti the shirt that was found inside the house and he confirmed that the shirt belongs to him. The shirt was turned in to the custodian for evidence.