Bradley Dawson and Christe Chen.Photo: Christe Dawson/Instagram
A man from Memphis, Tenn. who is currently in a Fijian jail for allegedly killing his wife on their honeymoon last month has spoken out.
Bradley Robert Dawson, 38, isaccusedof murdering Christe Chen, 36, while at Turtle Islands Resort on July 8. Dawson was laterchargedfor her death on July 19.
Speaking from jail,told ABC Newsthat he and Chen, who suffered severe injuries on her head, “never had any physical arguments in [their] relationship.”
“What I can say is I am so sorry for the situation we are all going through now. We were supposed to have amazing holidays and I lost my wife,” he said. “Just thinking she is not here anymore is so painful. I am thinking of her all the time. We were supposed to have an amazing life.”
He added that he is “praying every day” for Chen, calling her “my everything.”
Christe Chen.Christe Dawson Facebook
“I just wanted to give her some space. It was normal for me to take a walk,” said Dawson from a visiting room inside the jail.
He added that they had been drinking.
A resort housekeeper found Chen’s body on July 9, and Dawson was arrested on July 11.
On Wednesday, a Lautoka High Court judge in Fiji denied a request from Dawson’s attorney, Iqbal Khan to release him before his trial, which Khan said “may take two years,” according to ABC News.
“Why should he remain inside for that long?” Khan asked.
The judge also denied Chen’s family’s petition to be formal parties in the case so they could see evidence, noting that under Fiji law, the prosecutor is the only one that represents victims in criminal trials.
As for Dawson’s previous alleged confession, Khan said on Wednesday, “At the moment, it is complete denial – he did not murder his wife. As it is, there’s nothing implicating him,” he said, referencing that prosecutors have not filed details of an indictment yet, according toFOX News.
Lawyers for Dawson and Chen’s family did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
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A friend toldThe Daily Beastthat Chen, a pharmacist, and Dawson, a nonprofit IT employee, tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Memphis on Feb. 18. The date marked the first time that many of Chen’s friends met Dawson amid their “whirlwind romance,” according to the outlet. The newlyweds decided to wait until July to take their honeymoon.
Turtle Island Resortpreviously told PEOPLE: “We can confirm that an incident took place between a couple at the Island on July 9th, which has resulted in a tragic outcome and charges being laid. We cooperated fully with the police who conducted a thorough investigation and have now left the Island.
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The resort, which served as the location for the 1980Brooke ShieldsfilmThe Blue Lagoon, takes only 14 couples as guests at a time and offers visitors access to private beaches and amenities like horseback riding.
Celebrity couples of the past who have honeymooned at Turtle Island includeJessica SimpsonandNick Lachey, as well asBritney Spearsand ex-husbandKevin Federline.
source: people.com
