A spearfisher has been found dead in the water off Saipan's Hidden Beach in the Northern Marianas. Photo: Supplied
Northern Marianas police have reported a murder and a water death in the first few days of 2024.
On Wednesday, a man is suspected to have drowned off the coast of Hidden Beach of Saipan.
Twenty-two-year-old Traven Quitugua was spearfishing with a companion.
Officers learned from the victim's fishing companion, Anthony King, that at approximately 8am, both men arrived at Hidden Beach and proceeded into the water to spearfish.
King told police that, after about 30-45 minutes, he surfaced and noticed that Quitugua's speargun was floating, but he was nowhere in sight.
The witness proceeded to free dive back down in the water and saw the victim's body on the sea floor.
King told police that he attempted to retrieve the victim and pull him out of the water, but the waves were too strong.
That's when he proceeded to swim to shore and called for help.
Responding Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFEMS) and Department of Public Safety (DPS) personnel immediately took to nearby cliff lines for an aerial view of the ocean.
About 9:18am, the DPS boat was launched to respond to the incident.
Upon arriving at the scene, three boating safety divers jumped into the water and did an underwater search for Quitugua.
At around 10:30am, during a pattern search, the US Coast Guard HSC 25 helicopter and DPS boat were able to locate and recover the unresponsive Quitugua from the water and he was immediately transported to Smiling Cove and brought to hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after.
Meanwhile on Thursday, the DPS found a lifeless man and a critically injured woman at a residence on Saipan.
The incident has since been deemed a homicide and DPS is asking for the community's help in identifying possible suspects.
According to DPS, police officers arrived at an old abandoned school at approximately 11am on Thursday and discovered an unresponsive Asian male, around 30 to 40 years old, and an unresponsive female who was also around 30 to 40 years old.
DPS said initial observation indicated both individuals had extensive injuries.
The two were immediately rushed to the Commonwealth Health Center where the male was pronounced dead.
As of press time, the female victim was alive but in critical condition and DPS said the case remained an ongoing investigation.