Arrests Made in Yap AAG Rachelle Bergeron Assassination; supposedly 2 Firefighters
Two men charged with the murder of Rachelle Bergeron
By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
October 30, 2019
Yap, FSM-FSM’s former Attorney General Joses Gallen, currently serving as consultant to the FSM Department of Justice says that charges associated with the shooting death of Rachelle Bergeron Hammerling, the former Acting Attorney General for Yap State were filed at Yap State Supreme Court. He said that Anthony Rutun Teteeth and Frances Choay Buchon have been charged with murder and have had their initial appearance in that court. During their initial appearance, that court ordered them both to be held without bail pending trial.
Charges were also filed against the two men at the FSM Supreme Court. The government charged Teteeth, known as defendant “Tun” with acquiring and possessing a 12 gauge shotgun in violation of FSM law. Yap’s laws are more stringent and allow no possession of a firearm other than by law enforcement officials. The FSM Government also charged him with using the weapon to commit a felony, “namely the murder of Rachelle Bergeron”.
The government charged Buchon with acquiring and/or possessing associated ammunition for a 12 gauge shotgun and for acquiring or possessing that illegal weapon for purposes of assisting in the murder of Rachelle Bergeron.
Both men had their initial appearances at the FSM Supreme Court which denied bail for either of them.
Unless a court rules to seal documents, charges filed at that court are public but no documents have been publicly shared.
Late this evening, the Yap State Supreme Court Chief Clerk wrote in response to our request for documents regarding charges filed at their court that no “criminal information” documents had been filed at that court, only “criminal complaints” that went unspecified.
Under a Joint Law Enforcement Agreement, the FSM Department of Justice has agreed to assist with the prosecution in Yap State Supreme Court.
All defendants are presumed to be innocent unless it is otherwise proven in Court.
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Rachelle Bergeron: Arrests after lawyer's murder shocks tiny island
28 October 2019
Police in the Micronesian state of Yap, investigating the murder a US lawyer that shocked the tiny island, have made arrests. Rachelle Bergeron, 33, was shot dead on 14 October outside her house.
Yap is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, with a population of only 12,000 and low rates of violent crime.
Ms Bergeron was a US-trained lawyer who specialised in fighting human trafficking, and was acting attorney general on Yap.
She had been working in the Federated States of Micronesia since 2015, and was due to stay for four years.
She was killed while returning home from waking her dog. The dog also died.
The New York Times reported that she lived on Yap with her husband, a German pilot who worked for a Christian missionary group.
Her mother told the paper she was planning to adopt a local girl who she found sleeping outside their house, with the family due to move back to the US on Christmas Day.
What is Micronesia like?
The tiny island with human-sized money
Ms Bergeron had previously worked in India, focusing on the trafficking of women and children, before she went to Micronesia.
After her murder, officials called investigators from the United States FBI to help with the investigation.
"Arrests have been made in the murder of acting Attorney General Rachelle Bergeron," Yap Governor Henry Falan said on Monday.
"The next stage in the investigation will be the court proceedings as the state moves toward the final stage of conviction. No names will be issued by the authorities at this time."
Micronesia consists of some 600 islands grouped into the four states of Yap, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk.
Occupying a very small land mass, the remote islands are scattered over an ocean expanse in the western Pacific five times the size of France.
Although independent, there is close co-operation with the United States.
Micronesia has a "Compact of Free Association" with the US under which Washington handles the states' defence in exchange for the right to set up military bases.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50204229
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7623027/Several-arrests-murder-investigation-American-prosecutor-shot-dead-Yap.html
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Suspects arrested in killing of Yap's acting Attorney General Rachelle Bergeron
Haidee Eugenio Gilbert, Pacific Daily News
Published 2:16 p.m. ChT Oct. 28, 2019
Yap Acting Attorney General Rachelle Bergeron
Suspects were arrested in connection with the recent killing of Yap Acting General Rachelle Bergeron, Yap Gov. Henry S. Falan said in a statement Monday.
The governor said authorities will not issue the names of the arrested suspects at this time.
No other details about the suspects or a possible motive were released.
"The next stage in the investigation will be the court proceedings as the state moves toward the final stage of conviction," the Yap governor said in a statement.
Bergeron, from Waukesha, Wisconsin, was shot to death in her backyard after an evening run on Oct. 14. She was pronounced dead at Yap Memorial Hospital that evening.
She was killed 11 days before she and her husband, Simon Hammerling, a missionary pilot with Pacific Mission Aviation, were to mark their first wedding anniversary Oct. 25.
Bergeron arrived in Yap in 2015 to take on an assistant attorney general position, and became acting attorney general in January this year.
The FBI has been assisting Yap's government in the investigation.
The Yap governor thanks the joint investigating team of the Yap State Police Department, Office of the Attorney General and their external partners including the FBI and the Federated States of Micronesia's Department of Justice "for their hard work and dedication during the past two weeks to bring this case to a close."
The governor also thanked community and Yap citizens "for their contributions, support, patience and prayers during this stressful time."
"We will keep the public informed at the appropriate time as the court case moves ahead," the governor said.
Bergeron was an advocate for victims of human trafficking, the child sex trade and domestic violence, among other things. Besides being Yap's acting attorney general, she helped shape policies for the Yap Gender Support Office, which seeks to advance the interest of women in Yap and work toward increased social inclusion.
She worked as a human rights lawyer in New York before working in Yap.
Yap held a memorial service for Bergeron on Oct. 22.
Reporter Haidee Eugenio Gilbert covers Guam's Catholic church issues, government, business and more. Follow her on Twitter @haidee_eugenio.
https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2019/10/28/suspects-arrested-killing-yaps-acting-attorney-general/2482553001/
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Is there a coverup hiding suspects in Rachelle Bergeron’s murder on Yap?
Published October 28, 2019
By JD Rucker
Acting Attorney General of the island state of Yap, Rachelle Bergeron, was murdered earlier this month while jogging with her dog. She was a former New York human rights lawyer before taking on the Attorney General role on Yap, an island of 11,000 people in the Pacific with a big human trafficking problem, according to the NY Post. Arrests have been made and suspects in her murder are in custody, but the names of the suspects are being withheld. Why?
Adding more to the intrigue, a report four days ago on the Pacific Island Times appeared to name the suspects, Francis Chaoy Buchun and his nephew Francis Tamag, but the article was quickly taken down. They are both members of the Airport Rescue-Fire Fighters squad. The specificity of the report and the details of their arrest seem to jibe with the official statement from the government:
--------------
On behalf of all the people of Yap and their State Government, Governor Henry S. Falan would like to update the public that arrests have been made in the murder of Acting Attorney General Rachelle Bergeron.
The next stage in the investigation will be the court proceedings as the State moves toward the final stage of conviction. No names will be issued by the authorities at this time. We will keep the public informed at the appropriate time as the court case moves ahead.
The Governor expresses his solemn gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the joint investigating team of the Yap State Police Department, Office of the Attorney General and their external partners including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FSM Department of Justice for their hard work and dedication during the past two weeks to bring this case to a close. Governor also would like to thank the community and citizens of Yap for their contributions, support, patience and prayers during this stressful time. May God Bless us all.
-------------------
The original report from the Pacific Island Times indicated “Buchun had three cases before the AG. He was earlier convicted of arson and put in jail for a month. He was later released to go to Hawaii for Rescue-Fire Fighters recertification.”
Was the article proven to be wrong about the suspects, or did the government ask the publication to take down the report for other reasons? We have reached out to the Yap State Governor’s Office and are awaiting a reply.
Here is a screen capture of the original story on Pacific Island Times, which was provided by an independent source:
{Rachelle Bergeron Murder Suspects Identified}
It may be something as simple as inaccurate reporting that took down the original article revealing the suspects’ names in Rachelle Bergeron’s murder. Or, the report may have been taken down for political reasons. We will continue to investigate.
https://noqreport.com/2019/10/28/coverup-hiding-suspects-rachelle-bergerons-murder-yap/?fbclid=IwAR1vOmoIkh14KmD7OiuVoNH8AZM_cwrR3NnhnRLy0emXbMQ97QxWhlo1Pqk
By Bill Jaynes
The Kaselehlie Press
October 30, 2019
Yap, FSM-FSM’s former Attorney General Joses Gallen, currently serving as consultant to the FSM Department of Justice says that charges associated with the shooting death of Rachelle Bergeron Hammerling, the former Acting Attorney General for Yap State were filed at Yap State Supreme Court. He said that Anthony Rutun Teteeth and Frances Choay Buchon have been charged with murder and have had their initial appearance in that court. During their initial appearance, that court ordered them both to be held without bail pending trial.
Charges were also filed against the two men at the FSM Supreme Court. The government charged Teteeth, known as defendant “Tun” with acquiring and possessing a 12 gauge shotgun in violation of FSM law. Yap’s laws are more stringent and allow no possession of a firearm other than by law enforcement officials. The FSM Government also charged him with using the weapon to commit a felony, “namely the murder of Rachelle Bergeron”.
The government charged Buchon with acquiring and/or possessing associated ammunition for a 12 gauge shotgun and for acquiring or possessing that illegal weapon for purposes of assisting in the murder of Rachelle Bergeron.
Both men had their initial appearances at the FSM Supreme Court which denied bail for either of them.
Unless a court rules to seal documents, charges filed at that court are public but no documents have been publicly shared.
Late this evening, the Yap State Supreme Court Chief Clerk wrote in response to our request for documents regarding charges filed at their court that no “criminal information” documents had been filed at that court, only “criminal complaints” that went unspecified.
Under a Joint Law Enforcement Agreement, the FSM Department of Justice has agreed to assist with the prosecution in Yap State Supreme Court.
All defendants are presumed to be innocent unless it is otherwise proven in Court.
--------------------------------------------------
Rachelle Bergeron: Arrests after lawyer's murder shocks tiny island
28 October 2019
Police in the Micronesian state of Yap, investigating the murder a US lawyer that shocked the tiny island, have made arrests. Rachelle Bergeron, 33, was shot dead on 14 October outside her house.
Yap is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, with a population of only 12,000 and low rates of violent crime.
Ms Bergeron was a US-trained lawyer who specialised in fighting human trafficking, and was acting attorney general on Yap.
She had been working in the Federated States of Micronesia since 2015, and was due to stay for four years.
She was killed while returning home from waking her dog. The dog also died.
The New York Times reported that she lived on Yap with her husband, a German pilot who worked for a Christian missionary group.
Her mother told the paper she was planning to adopt a local girl who she found sleeping outside their house, with the family due to move back to the US on Christmas Day.
What is Micronesia like?
The tiny island with human-sized money
Ms Bergeron had previously worked in India, focusing on the trafficking of women and children, before she went to Micronesia.
After her murder, officials called investigators from the United States FBI to help with the investigation.
"Arrests have been made in the murder of acting Attorney General Rachelle Bergeron," Yap Governor Henry Falan said on Monday.
"The next stage in the investigation will be the court proceedings as the state moves toward the final stage of conviction. No names will be issued by the authorities at this time."
Micronesia consists of some 600 islands grouped into the four states of Yap, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk.
Occupying a very small land mass, the remote islands are scattered over an ocean expanse in the western Pacific five times the size of France.
Although independent, there is close co-operation with the United States.
Micronesia has a "Compact of Free Association" with the US under which Washington handles the states' defence in exchange for the right to set up military bases.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50204229
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7623027/Several-arrests-murder-investigation-American-prosecutor-shot-dead-Yap.html
------------------------------------------------------------
Suspects arrested in killing of Yap's acting Attorney General Rachelle Bergeron
Haidee Eugenio Gilbert, Pacific Daily News
Published 2:16 p.m. ChT Oct. 28, 2019
Yap Acting Attorney General Rachelle Bergeron
Suspects were arrested in connection with the recent killing of Yap Acting General Rachelle Bergeron, Yap Gov. Henry S. Falan said in a statement Monday.
The governor said authorities will not issue the names of the arrested suspects at this time.
No other details about the suspects or a possible motive were released.
"The next stage in the investigation will be the court proceedings as the state moves toward the final stage of conviction," the Yap governor said in a statement.
Bergeron, from Waukesha, Wisconsin, was shot to death in her backyard after an evening run on Oct. 14. She was pronounced dead at Yap Memorial Hospital that evening.
She was killed 11 days before she and her husband, Simon Hammerling, a missionary pilot with Pacific Mission Aviation, were to mark their first wedding anniversary Oct. 25.
Bergeron arrived in Yap in 2015 to take on an assistant attorney general position, and became acting attorney general in January this year.
The FBI has been assisting Yap's government in the investigation.
The Yap governor thanks the joint investigating team of the Yap State Police Department, Office of the Attorney General and their external partners including the FBI and the Federated States of Micronesia's Department of Justice "for their hard work and dedication during the past two weeks to bring this case to a close."
The governor also thanked community and Yap citizens "for their contributions, support, patience and prayers during this stressful time."
"We will keep the public informed at the appropriate time as the court case moves ahead," the governor said.
Bergeron was an advocate for victims of human trafficking, the child sex trade and domestic violence, among other things. Besides being Yap's acting attorney general, she helped shape policies for the Yap Gender Support Office, which seeks to advance the interest of women in Yap and work toward increased social inclusion.
She worked as a human rights lawyer in New York before working in Yap.
Yap held a memorial service for Bergeron on Oct. 22.
Reporter Haidee Eugenio Gilbert covers Guam's Catholic church issues, government, business and more. Follow her on Twitter @haidee_eugenio.
https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2019/10/28/suspects-arrested-killing-yaps-acting-attorney-general/2482553001/
---------------------------------------------------------
Is there a coverup hiding suspects in Rachelle Bergeron’s murder on Yap?
Published October 28, 2019
By JD Rucker
Acting Attorney General of the island state of Yap, Rachelle Bergeron, was murdered earlier this month while jogging with her dog. She was a former New York human rights lawyer before taking on the Attorney General role on Yap, an island of 11,000 people in the Pacific with a big human trafficking problem, according to the NY Post. Arrests have been made and suspects in her murder are in custody, but the names of the suspects are being withheld. Why?
Adding more to the intrigue, a report four days ago on the Pacific Island Times appeared to name the suspects, Francis Chaoy Buchun and his nephew Francis Tamag, but the article was quickly taken down. They are both members of the Airport Rescue-Fire Fighters squad. The specificity of the report and the details of their arrest seem to jibe with the official statement from the government:
--------------
On behalf of all the people of Yap and their State Government, Governor Henry S. Falan would like to update the public that arrests have been made in the murder of Acting Attorney General Rachelle Bergeron.
The next stage in the investigation will be the court proceedings as the State moves toward the final stage of conviction. No names will be issued by the authorities at this time. We will keep the public informed at the appropriate time as the court case moves ahead.
The Governor expresses his solemn gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the joint investigating team of the Yap State Police Department, Office of the Attorney General and their external partners including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FSM Department of Justice for their hard work and dedication during the past two weeks to bring this case to a close. Governor also would like to thank the community and citizens of Yap for their contributions, support, patience and prayers during this stressful time. May God Bless us all.
-------------------
The original report from the Pacific Island Times indicated “Buchun had three cases before the AG. He was earlier convicted of arson and put in jail for a month. He was later released to go to Hawaii for Rescue-Fire Fighters recertification.”
Was the article proven to be wrong about the suspects, or did the government ask the publication to take down the report for other reasons? We have reached out to the Yap State Governor’s Office and are awaiting a reply.
Here is a screen capture of the original story on Pacific Island Times, which was provided by an independent source:
{Rachelle Bergeron Murder Suspects Identified}
It may be something as simple as inaccurate reporting that took down the original article revealing the suspects’ names in Rachelle Bergeron’s murder. Or, the report may have been taken down for political reasons. We will continue to investigate.
https://noqreport.com/2019/10/28/coverup-hiding-suspects-rachelle-bergerons-murder-yap/?fbclid=IwAR1vOmoIkh14KmD7OiuVoNH8AZM_cwrR3NnhnRLy0emXbMQ97QxWhlo1Pqk