Saturday nights in villages across Samoa are almost always quiet.
People busy themselves preparing for Sunday church service and later, the family feast.
The village of Vaivase Uta, on the outskirts of the capital, Apia, is no different.
It is a typical Samoan village: multiple churches, beautifully manicured gardens and a small handful of shops.
It's quiet, always quiet.
But on one Saturday night last month, inside Vaivase Uta's old community theatre, that changed forever.
In what local police described as a "gruesome" scene, they allege a murder took place inside the theatre.
It involved two former friends, the alleged murderer, Sia Figiel, and her victim, Dr Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard — both well-known in the country and in literary circles across the world.
It is an alleged murder that has shocked the small island nation — and one that police are still piecing together.
'Dear friend' found dead
Sia Figiel, 57, is well-known in academic circles for her novels and poetry, telling stories with a focus on traditional Samoan techniques.
She's a bestseller, with her book Where We Once Belonged winning the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.
Described as Ms Figiel's "mentor" and "dear friend", Dr Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard was a respected poet, writer and academic.
The 77-year-old, also known as Sina Gabbard, was a professor of English and creative writing at the University of Hawai'i and was the first Samoan to become a fully-fledged professor in the United States.
The Gabbard name is well-known in Samoa and across the US. Tulsi Gabbard, Caroline's niece, was the first Samoan-American to reach Congress, was a 2020 US presidential candidate and is now considered a potential vice-president hopeful in a prospective Donald Trump White House.
After Dr Gabbard's death, Tulsi Gabbard paid tribute to her aunt, saying the alleged murder "sent shock waves through our family".
"I'm so grateful to be surrounded by your love and prayers," she wrote in a post to her millions of social media followers.
"I spent a lot of time with [Caroline] as a kid at her cottage [where] she often shared her poetry with me, and encouraged me to pursue my own writing.
"We miss her, cherish the happy memories we shared, and are keeping her in our prayers. Life is short. Hold close the ones you love, and make the most of every day we are blessed with life."
A 'gruesome' scene
Details of the night in question are still sketchy, with police yet to reveal their full account of what happened.
In what they have said publicly, police allege Dr Gabbard suffered multiple stab wounds, with a hammer and knife used as weapons.
They say Ms Figiel left the victim in the theatre, went to a friend's house and it was not until the next day that she turned herself in to police, admitting to the alleged murder.
Police attended the theatre and found the body, telling the ABC that it was a "gruesome" scene.
Vaivase Uta local Mouena Nansen, a longtime friend of the alleged killer, told the ABC that on the night of the alleged murder, she did not hear any noises coming from the theatre.
The theatre is just metres away from where Ms Nansen lives.
"We're neighbours … and the last time I saw Sia was on Thursday of the week that the incident occurred, she was even in my house," she said.
"I've known her since we were young and she has lived and spent many years abroad … but I can honestly say I've never known this side of her or [had] shared to me that she was going through something.
"When I heard about what had happened, I was sad and surprised.
"We may never know what the reason behind this ordeal was … my family even asked me if she had ever shared anything [about it, but] all I said was: no, I didn't know anything."
Ms Figiel was charged with murder, manslaughter, being armed with a dangerous weapon and causing grievous bodily harm.
But in an unexpected twist, in her second court appearance last week, Ms Figiel was given the opportunity to speak to the court after telling the judge she wanted to represent herself.
In an emotional speech in Samoan, with both families in attendance, she said she was overtaken by demons.
"The truth is my wisdom, knowledge and mind drifted away. I lost my strength because I was possessed by the devil, demons.
"And all the demonic spirits that attacked me that afternoon, and when it was all done, they whispered to me, go take your own life. Run away, there's no more reason to live. But, however, it is too late."
She begged for forgiveness, apologised to the court, and later went on to speak about her alleged victim.
"She is a champion of academia for Samoa," she said. "She helped me with my writing during university.
"She is a dear friend."
Samoa 'reeling in disbelief'
A funeral service was held for Dr Gabbard last week. Families and friends have been writing tributes and condolences on a website set up by the deceased's family as a place of celebration and profound grief.
One of those was Dr Gabbard's friend Vanya Taulealo, who summed up the shock still reverberating through the small island nation of only 220,000 people.
"Dearest Sina, your untimely death has left our small nation reeling in disbelief," she said.
"I last saw you at a poetry reading where your emotions were heightened by your feeling of belonging and not belonging.
"May you rest in love and may your next journey build on what you have achieved and cherished in this life."
While she was mourned by family members, close friends and academic circles, the alleged murder has also become a source of gossip and rumour in Samoa.
The details of the case have been talked about on Facebook pages, with unsubstantiated rumours about the night in question shared by members of the public, predominantly around the relationship between the two women and the motives behind the murder.
Despite her emotional speech and plea for forgiveness, Ms Figiel has not revealed the reason behind the alleged murder or what happened on the night in question.
Neither have the police.
On her third court appearance this week, Ms Figiel retained a lawyer, despite her initial reluctance to do so.
She did not speak.
With the prosecution's approval, her lawyer has submitted an application for a mental health evaluation, to be carried out by two professionals, a psychiatrist and a nurse.
Three weeks have been given for evaluation following the approval by the judge presiding.
Ms Figiel will remain in custody until her next court appearance on July 15.
Meanwhile, her family, the village of Vaivase Uta and the people of Samoa are still searching for an answer to a simple question: why?
