A 20-year-old U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa was arrested by local police on suspicion of robbing and murdering a 39-year-old woman inside a Naha hotel, according to Stars and Stripes and Okinawa Prefectural Police cited by that outlet.
What police allege
Stars and Stripes identified the Marine as Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. The outlet reported that police allege Ballard killed Anna Yagi, 39, at the Naminoue Crystal Hotel in Naha’s Wakasa district sometime between about 2:10 a.m. and 4:17 a.m. Saturday. Police also accused him of stealing her wallet and another personal item, according to the report.
Per Stars and Stripes’ account of the police statement, surveillance video showed Yagi entering the hotel with a man, who later left alone carrying her belongings. When Yagi did not check out, a hotel employee entered the room and found her unresponsive; she was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities later located Ballard walking alone in an entertainment district, detained him, and then arrested him on suspicion of robbery and murder, Stars and Stripes reported.
Ballard has denied the allegations, according to the reporting. Police are still determining the cause of death and any relationship between Yagi and Ballard.
Diplomatic fallout
Japan Times was cited in the source material as reporting that Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi lodged a “strong protest” with U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass on Sunday, urging full cooperation with the investigation, tighter discipline among U.S. personnel, and measures to prevent a repeat incident. According to that account, the ambassador pledged cooperation and contacted Okinawa Governor Genta Koja to offer condolences to Yagi’s family. The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo was also described as saying that American officials were working with the Japanese government and local authorities.
Marine Corps response
The Marine Corps confirmed that Ballard remains in Japanese custody while the investigation proceeds, according to Stars and Stripes. Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Tyler Thomas told the outlet the Corps is “actively cooperating with Japanese authorities” regarding allegations of serious criminal conduct involving a Marine assigned to III Marine Expeditionary Force. A separate Marine Corps statement, as relayed in the source material, said the service takes the allegations seriously, expects Marines to meet high standards of conduct, and offered condolences to Yagi’s family and friends.
What remains unknown
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the cause of death. Investigators are still working to determine what, if any, relationship existed between Yagi and Ballard. Ballard is entitled to the presumption of innocence and has denied the charges, according to the reporting.
