Lanitola Epenisa

Photo of a man in a bright red suit jacket and black shirt and tie. He has brown skin and short black hair; his nose is broad, and his face is round.Name: Lanitola Epenisa, also called Viliami Li.
Died: October 2, 2016.
Age at death: Elder.
Cause of death: Sepsis from untended pressure sores.
Location: Kolomotu’a, Tongatapu, Tonga.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
Disabled after a stroke, Lanitola was neglected by his wife, with whom he lived. A witness reported seeing him grow gradually more unkempt and dirty. A cousin told the court that he found Lanitola alone in the house with nothing to eat, and brought him food. Lanitola died from blood poisoning due to untended pressure sores, and was found dead, “fused to his chair,” by medics.

Case Status:
Malia Unalotokipea Li (Wife), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 5 years 7 months.

Source:
Wife jailed for more than five years after leaving man to die in his own waste
Malia Li found guilty of leaving disabled husband to die in his own waste
Man’s pressure sores developed ‘very recently’ before he died, surgeon says
Auckland man found dead in chair not given regular medication, Crown alleges
Man’s wife denied him shower hours before he died in his own waste, court hears
Disabled man who died in his own waste had been unbathed and hungry, visitors say
Manslaughter trial: Māngere-Ōtāhuhu local board member said alleged victim smelt like urine

Patricia Kearney

Photo of Patricia Kearney, a woman with tanned skin and short dark-blonde hair. She is wearing glasses and a tank top. She is looking off to the left of the photo.Name: Patricia Kearney.
Died: July 6, 2016.
Age at death: 56.
Cause of death: Blunt-force injury, head trauma.
Location: Tonga.
Disability: An “incurable nerve disorder”.

Details:
Patricia died from multiple blunt-force injuries to her head and body, including a blow to the head that caused bleeding in the brain. Her husband said she fell down the stairs, but witnesses reported seeing Patricia’s husband beating her to death.

Case status:
Dean Fletcher (Husband), arrested for murder; escaped from Tonga police, arrested by US police. US refused extradition and released him in Hawaii without charges.

Source:
A death in paradise
Man who won’t be extradited to Tonga for wife’s murder says he’s innocent
Tonga disappointed with US denial of extradition for murder accused