Honeymoon Horror: Tennessee Man Convicted of Wife's Shocking Murder in Fiji
A picture-perfect honeymoon on a tropical island, a whirlwind romance, and a dream wedding. It should have been the start of a fairy-tale happily ever after. But when resort staff found 36-year-old Christe Chen lifeless in her luxury suite, her new husband, now 40-year-old Bradley Robert Dawson, was nowhere to be found. Now, the chilling truth has been revealed in a murder case that rocked paradise itself.
From Romance to Tragedy
The newlyweds had booked their stay at Fiji's exclusive Turtle Island Resort, known for its seclusion and luxury. But behind the glittering backdrop of the Yasawa Islands, cracks in their picture-perfect romance were revealed. On July 9, 2022, resort staff found Chen dead in the couple's villa. Her injuries were severe — blunt force trauma to the head, according to investigators — and she hadn't been seen since the previous evening when guests overheard the couple arguing at dinner.
While Chen's lifeless body lay undiscovered in their suite, Dawson had disappeared, taking a kayak to a nearby island.
A Failed Escape
Dawson was apprehended the next day in Matacawalevu Village. He was found with his passport and personal belongings, which prosecutors argued pointed to a plan to flee the country. In court, Dawson claimed he left their room to give her space after a disagreement, according to PEOPLE. However, Justice Riyaz Hamza said the evidence painted a far more sinister picture.
A Chilling Verdict
The weeklong trial in Lautoka High Court provided harrowing details of the crime. Witnesses described hearing the couple arguing the night before Chen's death, and forensic evidence presented in court confirmed she had been brutally beaten. Dawson denied responsibility, saying the couple never had "physical arguments," according to PEOPLE.
Despite his claims, Justice Hamza ruled that the prosecution's evidence was "truthful, credible, and reliable," convicting Dawson of murder, as reported by The Fiji Times. "The prosecution has proved the charge of murder against the accused beyond reasonable doubt," Hamza concluded.
A Devastating Loss
The victim's family was left heartbroken, not only by her tragic death but by the circumstances that followed. In 2022, a lawyer on behalf of Chen's parents stated that her injuries were so severe that embalming was not possible, forcing her remains to be cremated instead. Chen had recently graduated from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She was a pharmacist at a Kroger supermarket in Memphis at the time of her death.
Meanwhile, Dawson, who worked in IT for a nonprofit, awaits sentencing. Under Fijian law, he faces life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term to be determined in January 2025.
The Dark Side of Paradise
This chilling case serves as a stark reminder that even the most idyllic settings can hide unimaginable violence. While the sands of Turtle Island will eventually return to their tranquil state, the memory of Christe Chen's tragic end lingers, casting a long shadow over the paradise she never left.
References: Man Described Newlywed Bride as His 'Everything.' But He'd Actually Murdered Her on Their Honeymoon in Fiji | Memphis man convicted of killing his bride on their honeymoon in Fiji in 2022 | Dawson guilty of murder | A Memphis man is guilty of murdering his wife during their honeymoon, a Fiji court decides | Tennessee newlywed Bradley Dawson found guilty of murdering wife on Fiji honeymoon
