Memphis man accused of killing wife to remain jailed in Fiji until at least Aug. 18
Christe Chen of Memphis earned her license as a pharmacist last year and this year traveled to the South Pacific republic of Fiji with her new husband.
Today, that husband, Bradley Robert Dawson, is locked up in Fiji and accused of killing her — he appeared before a court Wednesday and will remain jailed at least until Aug. 18, the prosecutor's office in Fiji said.
The death and charges have drawn international media attention due in part to where it happened: a luxury resort on an island where the 1980 movie "The Blue Lagoon", which starred a young Brooke Shields, was filmed.
Dawson was previously married at a ceremony in Fiji in 2019
The Memphis pair had only been married a short time, and court records say that Dawson had previously been married to another woman in a 2019 ceremony that also took place in Fiji. His divorce in that first marriage was finalized in January.
Dawson had no criminal history in Memphis, other than a speeding ticket issued in 2016, according to online records.
Many details of Chen and Dawson's relationship and history in Memphis are unclear. Efforts to reach people who know the couple were unsuccessful.
Some details are known from public announcements and from records.
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Chen was first licensed as a pharmacist in July 2021, according to information available from the state medical board, which lists her name as Christe Jiao Chen.
A Facebook post from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy says she won the 2021 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information Award of Excellence in Clinical Communication — it's presented to a graduate who has demonstrated superior verbal and written communication skills.
Dawson formerly worked in the information technology department at Youth Villages, a Memphis charity, and has now been terminated, Connie White Mills, a spokesperson for the organization wrote in an email.
About the luxury resort
The killing took place at Turtle Island Fiji, a luxury resort that offers private villas to only 14 couples at a time. Guests usually arrive at the island by seaplane, the resort's web site says, and each villa comes with a personal concierge and gourmet meals.
The resort's web site asks visitors to select a budget for their multi-night trip. The lowest budget listed on the site is $12,000. The high end is more than $24,000. Visitors may also rent the entire island, the web site says.
"We can confirm an incident took place between a married couple at the resort on July 9th, resulting in a tragic outcome and charges being laid," the resort management said in an emailed statement. "We cooperated with the authorities during the investigation and the police left the island over a week ago. It is our understanding that charges have been filed in the case."
"Our highest priority is the safety and concern for our guests and team, both who we value as family, and we are extremely saddened by the event. We continue to send our condolences to Ms. Chen’s family, friends, and colleagues. Given the need to respect the privacy of our guests and the ongoing legal investigation, please direct all further inquiries to the authorities."
Fiji is a former British colony and its legal system incorporates elements of English law.
Dawson faces one count of murder and is accused of killing his wife at a resort on July 9, Farisha Ahmed, a spokeswoman for Fiji's Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, wrote in an email.
He appeared before Justice Riyaz Hamza at the High Court in the city in Lautoka on Wednesday morning local time — Tuesday afternoon in Memphis, the prosecutor's office said in a subsequent news release.
"The State served disclosures this morning (Wednesday) to the Defence," the news release says. "The case has been adjourned to 18 August 2022 for review by the Director of Public Prosecutions and a decision on the Information (Indictment). The accused has been further remanded in custody."
Dawson had previously appeared before a lower-level court. Dawson is represented by a local defense attorney, Iqbal Khan, The Fiji Sun newspaper reported. The Commercial Appeal was unable to reach the lawyer via phone and email.
Dawson's divorce
Born in Middletown, New York, Bradley Dawson is now 38 and was married for the first time at Yaro, Fiji in September 2019, according to a Shelby County Chancery Court divorce filing related to that first marriage.
He filed for divorce about two years later, in September 2021. His filing cites "irreconcilable differences" as grounds and says no children were born of the marriage.
The husband and wife quickly reached a settlement to divide property. The court issued a final decree of divorce on January 11.
The publicly available records make no mention of violence or similar problems.
The Commercial Appeal's efforts to reach Dawson's first wife were unsuccessful.
The date of his new marriage to Chen wasn't immediately available.
Investigative reporter Daniel Connolly welcomes tips and comments from the public. Reach him at 529-5296, daniel.connolly@commercialappeal.com, or on Twitter at @danielconnolly
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Bradley Dawson of Memphis charged in death of wife at Fiji resort
