Tennessee man who murdered wife on luxury honeymoon ripped by judge at sentencing

Tragic End to a Honeymoon: A Memphis Man Sentenced to Life for Murdering His Bride

In a shocking and devastating turn of events, Bradley Dawson, a 41-year-old IT specialist from Memphis, has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of his 36-year-old bride, Christe Chen, during their honeymoon in Fiji. The couple, who had married just five months earlier, arrived at the exclusive Turtle Island Resort on July 8, 2022, for what was supposed to be a romantic getaway. Tragically, their trip ended in horror when Christe was found dead in their private cabana, Bure 15, by hotel staff on July 9. Bradley, who had fled the scene in a stolen kayak, was later arrested and now faces life imprisonment for his heinous crime.

A Night of Celebration Turns Deadly

The events leading up to Christe’s death were marked by a night of partying and drinking at the resort’s floating bar. The couple had been seen dancing and socializing with hotel staff, but their evening took a dark turn when an argument broke out. According to trial testimony, the argument escalated into a violent confrontation in the bathroom of their cabana, where Bradley beat Christe to death. Security guards reported seeing the couple leaving the bar together and heading toward their cabana shortly before 2 a.m. However, when hotel staff checked on them the following morning after noticing a “Do Not Disturb” sign and their absence at breakfast and lunch, they found Christe’s lifeless body in the bathroom, covered in blood and broken glass. Her right arm was caught in the water tank, and she had suffered severe injuries, including traumatic brain damage that proved fatal.

A Grisly Crime and a Desperate Escape

The autopsy revealed the full extent of Christe’s horrific injuries, which included severe swelling around her eyes and mouth, bruises and cuts on her right arm, and a large gaping wound on her back. These injuries were clearly inflicted with extreme violence and were no accident, as her lawyer later emphasized. Meanwhile, Bradley, who had fled the scene in a stolen kayak, surfaced on a neighboring island the next day, where he was found wearing wet clothes and covered in bruises and cuts. When approached by locals, he asked them to call the police and admitted to having had a fight with Christe. Despite his attempts to escape justice, Bradley was soon apprehended and charged with Christe’s murder.

A Trial Marked by Chilling Testimonies and a Chilling Defense

The trial, which took place over eight days in the Lautoka High Court, was marked by chilling testimonies from hotel staff and guests who witnessed the couple’s argument and heard the sounds of a violent struggle emanating from their cabana. One guest, Mark Andrew Breaskey, an Australian businessman staying in an adjacent cottage, testified that he heard banging noises and a scream coming from Bure 15 around 12:40 a.m. on July 9, followed by an eerie silence. When Bradley eventually spoke to the police, he claimed that Christe had pushed him during the argument, causing him to “lose it.” He admitted that the toilet and window had broken during the scuffle but cowardly claimed that Christe’s injuries were accidental, insisting that she had fallen while drunk. However, the court rejected this explanation, noting that the severity of her injuries made it clear that they were the result of a deliberate and brutal attack. Furthermore, Bradley’s decision to leave Christe’s body propped up against the toilet and flee the scene rather than seeking help spoke volumes about his guilt.

A Life Sentence and a Family’s Pain

In his sentencing decision, Judge Riyaz Hamza describe