Dr. Caroline Sinaviana-Gabbard, the aunt of ex-Democratic Hawaiian Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, was reportedly brutally stabbed multiple times and beaten with a hammer during a deadly fight with her protege in Samoa last month.
The incident occurred on May 25 inside the home of award-winning Samoan playwright Papalii Sia Figiel in Vaivase-Uta.
According to the New York Post, the two women, Sinaviana-Gabbard and Figiel, were reportedly alone inside Figiel's home, which also serves as the local theater named GaluMoana Theater, when the confrontation turned fatal.
Sinaviana-Gabbard, a former professor at the University of Hawaii and believed to be Figiel's mentor, tragically lost her life in the confrontation.
Samoa Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo revealed, "A hammer is alleged to have been used as well as a small knife that inflicted multiple stab wounds on the deceased."
Subsequently, Figiel fled the scene and surrendered to the authorities. Initially arrested for manslaughter, Figiel's charges were raised to murder following an extensive investigation.
Sinaviana-Gabbard, described as an accomplished writer and teacher, was the older sister of Hawaii State Senator Mike Gabbard, Tulsi's father.
Senator Gabbard expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of his sister, highlighting the impact she had on his life and the community as a whole. He stated, "Caroline was my best friend as a teenager," emphasizing her influence on his academic and personal development.
Senator Gabbard, reflecting on the tragedy, shared forgiveness towards the perpetrator while emphasizing the importance of justice being served.
He expressed hope that the individual responsible would face the consequences of their actions within the full extent of the law.
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Following the incident, Figiel was transferred to the National Hospital in Motootua, where she remains under 24-hour suicide watch.
Scheduled to appear before the Supreme Court of Samoa on June 10, Figiel's case has stirred emotions and raised questions about the circumstances leading to the tragic outcome.
The Samoan community, along with the global literary and academic circles, mourns the loss of a pioneering figure like Sinaviana-Gabbard and awaits the unfolding of legal proceedings to understand the full extent of the events that transpired.
