A Honolulu man has been sentenced to prison over the murder of his wife’s acupuncturist with whom she was having an affair.
Eric Thompson, 37, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Oahu Circuit Court Judge Paul Wong handed down his judgment on Friday, June 27, over the 2022 shooting death of Waipahu acupuncturist Jon Tokuhara.
During his sentence, Thompson must serve a minimum of 15 years, before he is eligible for parole, though the Hawaii Paroling Authority may set a longer term. On Feb. 25, a jury found Thompson guilty of murder in the second degree and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
As previously reported, Thompson fatally shot Tokuhara in his Waipahu acupuncture shop in Jan. 2022, after learning about his wife’s affair with Tokuhara about six months before the murder.
Thompson’s DNA, Car Linked Him to the Murder
On Jan. 12, Thompson allegedly walked into Tokuhara Acupuncture and Healthcare at around 6:15 p.m. Investigators said that security cameras showed that Thompson was inside the business for only around 45 seconds, according to the television newsroom. Thompson reportedly fired three shots from a .22-caliber gun during that brief interval, the report indicated.
Tokuhara’s mother found her son shot to death inside his acupuncture clinic on Jan. 12, 2022. Police reportedly used surveillance video to identify Thompson’s truck and linked him to the murder scene.
As Thompson made his way back to his car, he dropped his hat, which was later picked up by a homeless man. Police used surveillance video to identify that man and pull samples of hair and fibers from it, ultimately leading to Thompson as the possible killer.
Thompson’s Wife Had Messaged Tokuhara About Her Fears Over Her Husband Finding Out About Their Affair
The police investigation into Tokuhara’s death reportedly uncovered Instagram messages between the victim and Thompson’s wife in which she expressed fear about Thompson discovering the relationship.
It appeared that while Tokuhara may have wanted a long-term relationship, Thompson’s wife did not want to leave her husband; in July 2021, she reportedly told Tokuhara that she had to end the relationship and he couldn’t contact her anymore. Their last Instagram communication was on July 23, 2021.
“As we showed in our case in chief, Thompson was a controlling and violent man who planned this murder because his wife had an affair with Jon,” said Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm. “Hopefully this sentence will provide the family and friends of Jon Tokuhara some closure,” Alm said.
