http://sports.iwon.com/news/09202002/v6478.html Dele's boat searched for evidence of gunplay; brother arrested Sep 20, 1:06 AM (ET) By PIERRE-YVES LANGE PAPEETE, Tahiti (AP) - Investigators are examining whether missing NBA player Bison Dele and two companions may have been shot to death while sailing in the South Pacific, scouring his boat for any signs of bullet marks, a prosecutor said Thursday. The boat, a 55-foot catamaran dubbed the Hakuna Matata, was discovered Sept. 12 in port on Taravao on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. On Thursday, the FBI arrested Dele's older brother, Miles Dabord, on a fraud charge filed in Phoenix and for allegedly fleeing arrest on that charge. Dabord was traveling with the group aboard the boat before the disappearances. FBI Supervisor John Steiner in San Rafael, Calif., said Dabord was found comatose near the California-Mexico border Saturday night and was immediately transported to a San Diego area hospital. Police in Chula Vista, Calif., said Dabord was found in Tijuana, Mexico, just across the border. He was identified Thursday and remained in intensive care. Steiner said Dabord was found alone, but refused to provide details about his injuries or circumstances of his discovery. In Phoenix, Dabord had allegedly claimed he was Brian Williams - Dele's former name. Dabord signed receipts with his brother's former name while trying to buy $152,000 in gold. Steiner refused to say whether Dabord was a suspect in his brother's death. "The investigation is continuing," he said. "I want this case to be resolved for the families." The 33-year-old Dele, his girlfriend Serena Karlan and Bertrand Saldo, a French skipper sailing with the group, were last seen July 8 during a layover in this French Pacific territory, investigators said. The four set sail together from Auckland, New Zealand, on May 2. "All the elements, put together end to end, lead us to consider that they have apparently been killed," Papeete chief prosecutor Michel Marotte said. Tahitian investigators were giving Dele's boat a close examination, Marotte told The Associated Press. He said that no bullet holes had been found so far. The catamaran was docked on July 18 by Dabord, French judicial officials have said. Its name had been removed and it was registered under a new name, Aria Bella. Marotte denied news reports that investigators believe Dele could have been killed with his own gun. "If there was a gun, we believe it was a weapon brought by the author," he said. Marotte said someone was seen throwing away clothes, including diving suits, that investigators think may have been aboard the boat. "There were several witnesses. These clothes were found in garbage cans in Taravao," where the boat was discovered, he said. The murder investigation began Monday. Experts have scoured the boat, taking photographs and gathering fingerprints and other evidence for analysis. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported that the murder inquiry was prompted by statements Dabord's girlfriend told authorities in California. The newspaper said Erica Weise had reported that there was a struggle aboard the boat that left Dele, Karlan and Saldo dead. Dabord, also known as Kevin Williams, was detained Sept. 5 by police in Phoenix. Dabord showed his younger brother's passport as identification, the FBI said. Arizona police released Dabord without formally arresting him. A week ago, Mexican police found some personal items belonging to Dabord in a hotel room in Tijuana. ============================================== I certainly hope that they can pin this on Dabord.
Why? I just hope they find out the truth, whether or not Dabord is to blame. I think your wording is just iffy...unless you really mean what you wrote. I really hope Bison Dele is okay, but that doesn't look like a good possibility.
Dele is likely dead. I hate to say that but it's been 4 1/2 months since his boat left New Zealand. 4 people were on the boat when it left...ONE got off the boat in Tahiti...and then he made himself scarce. If all of your shipmates had died on the trip, wouldn't you tell the authorities when you got to shore? The reason they may not be able to charge Dabord criminally is that we don't have corpus dilecti. Without the body it may be legally impossible to charge anybody with murder. Dabord tried to buy $152k of gold on Dele's checkbook...then he's one of the last people seen with Dele. Dabord is the only one apparently to survive the boat trip...hmmmm...
this is terrible. I mean its bad enough to kill someone but your own brother. Maybe Dabord didnt do it but right now he sure looks guilty.
Dang I'm sure glad you are not a judge Refman. You do realize a it still could have been someone else?
Who?? 4 people left New Zealand...ONE person arrived in Tahiti. The three who didn't make it haven't been seen or heard from and are likely dead. The one that did make it IMMEDIATELY went on the lam. I'd put money on him being guilty. If I were presented with evidence that is wasn't Dabord then my opinion could change...but that hasn't happened yet.
I'm with Refman here, how difficult is it to realize that the brother is the only possible suspect. Geez, you don't have to be Monk or Colombo to figure out the obvious. If his own brother goes into hiding after his disappearance...hmmm kind of, well, fishy.
Ref, man,...( ).... you know stranger things have happened in the world. Other people, I'm sure, have been involved in cases that looked just as certain and were innocent. You just never know. Yeah, it sure looked like he did it. I would probably tend to believe the same thing. But at least act like you've heard of "Innocent Until Proven Guilty".
I believe in innocent until proven guilty. Most juries have a preconceived notion on whether the defendant is guilty...then evidence can sway them. It's human nature.
Obviously. But you said you 'hope they can pin this' on him. That's a little bit off the path of a jury member with preconceived notions.
Poor wording. I believe that he did it...I fear that they won't be able to make the guilty party pay because the bodies will likely never be found.
Riiiiight and OJ really is innocent and looking for the real killers. While there is a possibility legally that Dabord could get out of this, the phone call to their mother puts all of the focus directly on him. There isn't much(if anything) that doesn't point to Dabord.
Actually, OJ was found 'not guilty'. One could argue that the totality of the circumstances do anything BUT point to Mr. Simpson's 'innocence'.
Maybe they were abducted by aliens, and his brother decieded he wanted to stay. His brother realized that since his brother was on the mother ship he wouldn't be needing any money so he figured "why not buy some gold coins!" He did tell his mom that she would never believe him if he told her what really happen. Ever see Cacoon? It can happen. Realistically, Bison, and his friends are likely dead and will never be found. Wether or not his brother did it or not remains to be seen (although it doesn't look good). What's even more strange is that his brother turned up in a coma at some hospital, and was admitted as a John Doe by someone unknown. For those of you who think that it's ... "Innocent until proven guilty" ... are kidding yourselves. In this country it's ... Guilty until proven Innocent" ... his brother will more than likely fry for his brother's murder (body or no body).
