Lost In Paradise

Who Murdered A Beautiful Peace Corps Volunteer In Tonga?

(CBS)  Back in America, Gardner's death in faraway Tonga went unreported. The Peace Corps issued its first press release on Nov. 2, Election Day. It was 19 days after she was murdered.

But there was no hiding the news in Tonga. "I think the Tongans were very angry that we had brought this terrible thing into the country," says Wilson.

Priven was going on hunger strikes every time the Tongans tried to move him to the maximum security prison outside town. "He used these hunger strikes as the Tongan officials understood as 'He's manipulating us. But we can't let him die on our watch, because we'll be blamed,' " says Weiss.

Tonga wasted no time, and Priven was in the dock less than two months after Gardner’s brutal murder. "It was a great curiosity and the courthouse was jammed with students of Dennis, students of Debbie," says Weiss.

But there were no Peace Corps volunteers present, since George advised them to stay away. But she was present every day of the trial. Nathanson was also in the courtroom as part of his Peace Corps job at the Tonga Chronicle. He was the only reporter at the trial, which was one too many for George. "Mary George didn't want him going near the story," says Weiss.

Some of Priven’s friends didn’t want Nathanson telling the world either. "They sort of jumped on me about my coverage of the trial, that it was no good for the Peace Corps program. It certainly wasn't good for Dennis. After all, Dennis is one of us," recalls Nathanson. "And my response was, 'Well, what about Debbie Gardner, you know? Wasn't she one of us, too?' 'Well, she's gone. It's unfortunate. We have to worry about Dennis.' "

Prosecutor David Tupou never had tried a big murder case, but he was very confident. He had all the evidence from the crime scene, and eyewitnesses who had seen Priven leaving Gardner's house.

"They thought they had a slam dunk," says Weiss. But the defense had its own secret weapon: Clive Edwards, the greatest criminal defense lawyer in Tonga. He was paid by the Peace Corps to defend Priven.

Edwards says Priven refused to speak to him during the entire case and trial: "I thought there was something wrong with him." And Priven did nothing to correct that impression, and he sat stone-faced while his lawyer now simply dismissed the evidence as meaningless.

"There was no clear-cut evidence that he was, actually, responsible for the stabbing," says Edwards. "His knife was produced. But his knife had been left there on other occasions."

The defense also had help from a bumbling police investigation. "They took crime-scene photos the next day, and failed to check the old camera, and they were empty [no film]," says Weiss. The only crime-scene photos were taken six days after the crime - and after friends had cleaned up the blood-soaked hut.

But the prosecution did have its eyewitness, To'a Pasa, who was 16 at the time of the trial. "They'd been trying everything ... and I said, 'No way. That's him I saw,' " recalls To'a. "It's, you know, I won't change my mind because it's the truth."

"It was the most dramatic moment in the trial. And he was unswerving throughout in his knowledge that that was Dennis Priven," says Weiss.

Faced with a convincing eyewitness, the defense suddenly changed its strategy. Priven would plead insanity, although no lawyer had ever argued an insanity defense in a Tongan court.

"They used words like 'possessed by devils' because the jury was a group of seven Tongan farmers, with elementary school education largely. They didn’t speak English," says Weiss.

[wildal33]

this is so horrible and carma is a b,,,h and will catch up with him,the thing is thats not very good on her parents having had to go thru losing a daughter and having to live with the fact that he got/gets to walk around and live his life after taking Debs .shame on them all..cant imagine anyone being shocked at our gov and the way they handled it ..shame on them too..they have one set of rules for all us and a seperate set for them....

[neo267-2009]

None of these people would have gotten away with it if she had been my daughter or friend.

[molo4]

This is not justice.....

In my opinion... This cases should be reopen once again in Tonga. I fell sad about this, And my heart goes out to Deb''s Family. I am from Tonga, I believe that this person who did this to Deb. He will be ill for long-time to come...

[jbellor]

I was in the Peace Corps in 1974 in El Salvador. I remember a briefing we had, where a Peace Corps official was explaining about what to do if any of us got into any "bad" trouble during our time in El Salvador. His words were "get to the American Embassy ASAP". He said it didn''t matter what you had done, even murder, they would get you out of the country. We didn''t think much about it at the time, but I guess they were serious.

[holmeskj]

Kapau teke ilo a lea ko eni, pea tala mai.

[wyo-kid]

Dennis Previn should have done the right thing and killed himself.

[expeditor1]

I cannot believe the post by dmotte. If that were your daughter you would have a different attitude. CBS please post the address Dennis Previn.I would like to follow him and haraas him as he did Deb. What my government did makes my skin crawl.

[dfjones_usa]

A murderer should never be allowed to ''live in peace''. I don''t care who he killed, or how long ago, he killed and has never had to face the consequences. Instead, this murdering gov''t employee was given a cushy gov''t job! Deb Gardner didn''t have the opportunity to live in peace, and neither did her family, or any of the many who were touched by her. They still grieve. The passage of time doesn''t mitigate a brutal murder.

[dfjones_usa]

A murderer should never be allowed to ''live in peace''. I don''t care who he killed, or how long ago, he killed and has never had to face the consequences. Instead, this murdering gov''t employee was given a cushy gov''t job! Deb Gardner didn''t have the opportunity to live in peace, and neither did her family, or any of the many who were touched by her. They still grieve. The passage of time doesn''t mitigate a brutal murder.

[dmotte]

This happened a long time ago so let the man live in peace and get on with your pathetic lives.

[wildal33]

who did you murder and get away with,,,from your coment sounds like something heartless you might do .....

[om8130]

This story is so disturbing on so many levels. it is obvious many people today are still impacted from this situation. If you ask me, Mary George has blood on her hands as well for covering up for this monster and not sending him back to the US before anything happened. Once she saw he was disturbed he should have been returned for a mental evaluation and not allowed back in Tonga or near Deb. He will get his just dues and she will get hers. Deb''s parents should take legal action. Thank you for revealing this story. Rest in peace, Deb.

[om8130]

This story is so disturbing on so many levels. it is obvious many people today are still impacted from this situation. If you ask me, Mary George has blood on her hands as well for covering up for this monster and not sending him back to the US before anything happened. Once she saw he was disturbed he should have been returned for a mental evaluation and not allowed back in Tonga or near Deb. He will get his just dues and she will get hers. Deb''s parents should take legal action. Thank you for revealing this story. Rest in peace, Deb.

[skyhag1]

This is a travesty of justice. The PEACE Corp? I cannot believe that this government would front a top-notch defense lawyer for this scum-bag murderer.
That poor woman, and her poor family. This makes me physically ill...

[holmeskj]

I helped carry Deb Gardner''s casket to the plane. I was in Dennis'' PC group. I lived 12 miles out of town & came in for weekends & was friends with everybody. I knew Deb & teased her every chance I could. She had an infectious personality that charmed you.I and my friends grieved long & hard for Deb & loathed Dennis, Mary George & PC/DC. We were shocked when Dennis left Tonga. He broke no other law but a Tongan law & got away with murder. 2 days after I helped put her body on that plane, I was standing infront of Viaola Hospital at night talking with another PC (Rich Danforth)about her.Suddenly a chill went up & down my spine. Rich felt it too. In my heart of hearts I know it was Deb saying good bye. I am now crying on this keyboard. Time dampens but does not heal old wounds. Emile Hons & Frank Bavaqua are 2 great guys. Dennis should be extradited back to Tonga for breach of contract with the US Gov''t. No justice for Deb Gardner while Privin goes free.

[foop3]

As far as I am concerned the Gardiners should be suing the government and specifically Mary George and Dennis Previn.
The government hired him at Social Security after knowing he was a murderer.

[lauraparis22]

I am shocked by the response of the Peace Corps to the murder of Deb Gardner and wonder .... if it had been Deb who murdered Dennis, would it have been so easy for them to sweep it under the rug?

What kind of response is, "I''m very sorry for the pain of Deb''s family..." but her murderer is one of us? A "death in the family?" Not, "a MURDER in the family?"

Join America''s PEACE Corps: Where PEACE is more important than LIFE and you can MURDER with Impugnity!