Dele investigation continues amid grim report

Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002 | 9:50 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

PAPEETE, Tahiti -- FBI agents have joined Tahiti police in investigating the disappearance of Bison Dele, the former NBA and Bishop Gorman player who vanished with two others during a sailboat cruise.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reported that the girlfriend of Dele's older brother, Miles Daboord, has told Tahitian authorities that the three are dead.

According to the newspaper, a police official said Erica Weese told the FBI that Dabord informed her in a telephone conversation of a struggle aboard Dele's boat, the Hakuna Matata, that resulted in the deaths of Dele, his girlfriend, Serena Karlan, and the boat's captain, Bertrand Saldo.

Based on that information, the decision was made to open a murder investigation.

Police said Wednesday that investigators were scouring Dele's 55-foot catamaran, taking photographs and gathering fingerprints and other evidence for analysis.

The 33-year-old Dele and the others on board were last seen July 8 during a layover in the French Pacific territory, investigators said.

The three, along with Dabord, sailed from Auckland, New Zealand, on May 2. Their eventual destination was Hawaii. Investigators said Dabord flew out of Tahiti on July 20.

Meanwhile, the FBI is searching for Dabord, also known as Kevin Williams. On Sept. 5, Dabord was detained by police in Phoenix, after he allegedly said he was Brian Williams and signed receipts with his brother's former name while trying to buy $152,000 in gold.

Dabord showed his younger brother's passport as identification, said FBI spokesman Andrew Black. However, he was later released without being formally arrested.

Mexican police found some personal items belonging to Dabord in a hotel room in Tijuana last Thursday.

Dele's boat was discovered last Thursday at the east coast port of Taravao. The FBI later issued an arrest warrant for Dabord.

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."

Since Monday, experts have been scouring the catamaran, taking photographs and gathering fingerprints and other evidence.

Investigators have found "nothing spectacular" on the boat, Investigating Judge Jean-Bernard Taliercio was quoted as saying in Tuesday's edition of the daily La Depeche de Tahiti.

Dele, a member of the Chicago Bulls' 1997 NBA championship team, changed his name in 1998 to honor his American Indian ancestry. Dele also played two season with the Detroit Pistons before retiring.