A dream honeymoon turned into a nightmare when Christe Chen, a newlywed bride, was found brutally beaten to death in a luxury Fijian resort bathroom after an alleged argument with her husband. The couple, Christe Chen and Bradley Robert Dawson had exchanged vows in an intimate February 2022 wedding, with some family members meeting Dawson for the first time that day.
Just months later, in July 2022, they embarked on their honeymoon to Fiji—a destination Dawson had previously visited for his first wedding in 2019. They stayed at the exclusive Turtle Island resort, a $3,500-per-night private island retreat that once hosted celebrities like Britney Spears.
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But the idyllic getaway took a dark turn when staff noticed the couple missed breakfast and lunch on July 9. A resort employee later discovered Chen’s lifeless body wedged between a toilet and a wall, her face and head severely injured. The toilet cistern lid was shattered, and blood stained the bathroom, told Daily Express.
Dawson had vanished. Witnesses reported seeing the couple arguing after an evening event where they had been drinking. Disturbing noises were later heard from their villa. Authorities tracked Dawson to a nearby island, where he was arrested after fleeing by kayak. Police found his passport, cash, and personal belongings, suggesting an attempted escape.
Chen’s family faced further anguish when they learned her body was too damaged for embalming, forcing them to cremate her in Fiji. At his December 2024 trial, Dawson claimed he left to “give his wife space,” but prosecutors argued he intended to flee, leaving behind his GPS watch and phone to evade capture.
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In February 2025, a Fijian judge sentenced him to life in prison, with a minimum of 18 years before parole eligibility. The judge condemned Dawson’s actions, stating, “Your conduct after the incident was appalling.” He added, “Having inflicted serious and life-threatening injuries to the deceased, you fled the scene, leaving her alone and helpless.”
The case has left Chen’s loved ones devastated, their grief compounded by the senseless brutality of her death on what should have been a joyous trip.
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