Husband arrested and charged after allegedly threatening his wife

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill his wife the same way that happened in the incident of the woman in Mapusaga, who was brutally murdered by her husband.

Mr. Hipa Bryce was arrested and charged with the following:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance, a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen (15) days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both.

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to one (1) year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

Count 3: Assault in the Third Degree (As a C misdemeanor DV) a class C misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen (15) days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both.

Bail is set at $1,000.

According to the affidavit, on Nov. 24, police officers during a routine traffic patrol along the Futiga Public Highway spotted an unknown female waving them down. The woman (later identified as the victim) approached the officers requesting assistance to remove her husband from their residence because he had threatened to kill her.

The officers interviewed the victim at the scene and she explained that she had gotten off from work and saw her husband (Hipa) intoxicated and sitting at the dining table. When she sat next to him, he uttered that “even if your sons are lying inside the room, they will come to see you are done.” The defendant also told her “that he will stand up and kill her.”

The victim stated that she sat there not saying anything; and then called her 18-year old son to come sit with her because she was scared and alarmed at her husband’s threats. (Her son did sit at the table, but later left leaving her and her husband alone again.)

Moments after her son left (the table) her husband (Hipa) reminded her of the domestic violence incident that happened between the couple in Mapusaga, where the man brutally killed his wife. The defendant told her that he would do the same to her.

The victim then added that this is not the first time he said something like that to her. She explained every time he is drunk he would remind her and threaten her. She stated she has had enough of the verbal abuse and is traumatized by his accusations.

The affidavit also revealed that police interviewed the 18-year old son and he verbally stated that while he was getting up from the dining table he heard his father (Hipa) saying “he will kill his mom”.

 The defendant was then apprehended and taken to the TPS for booking. Police stated they detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emitting from the defendant while placing him in the police unit.

Mr. Bryce was Mirandized and refused to make a statement. He was then booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility until the next sitting of Court.

The defendant is a citizen from Samoa. The victim is a U.S National.