A Japanese man is facing life imprisonment over the alleged murder of his girlfriend at an Airbnb property in San Jose, California.
Ryoichi Fuseya, 25, was arrested on Feb. 19, a day after his girlfriend, Yuiko Takaoka, 26, was found lifeless at the rental cottage on Mountain View Avenue in East Foothills, a neighborhood in San Jose, Calif.
Ryoichi Fuseya. Image via Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office
Takaoka, who was a Japanese national, was found “covered under some blankets on a bed with a large amount of blood and major trauma (contusion) under her chin,” according to Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Leslie.
Aside from “multiple blood-soaked blankets and sheets,” deputies also found a photo of the couple, a single piece of mail for Fuseya and a bloody kitchen knife, which they believe was used to slay Takaoka, according to The Mercury News.
Further investigation revealed that Takaoka’s Toyota Prius — which had been missing — was at the home of Fuseya’s mother in San Lorenzo, approximately 30 minutes from San Jose.
Interestingly, authorities were unable to find any property that belonged to Fuseya, suggesting that he had fled the premises with all his belongings.
Fuseya was arraigned on Feb. 21 in the Santa Clara County Superior Court on one count of murder with a weapon enhancement. So far, no motive for the crime has been documented.
“It was a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship from what we know,” said Deputy District Attorney Carlos Vega, according to KRON 4. “At this point, the case is ongoing.”
Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.
Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.
We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.