Opening statements held in the love triangle killing of Waipahu acupuncturist

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Opening statements were held on Wednesday in the trial of Eric Thompson, who is accused of killing his wife’s lover. Prosecutors said Thompson killed Jon Tokuhara because he ruined the couple’s image of a perfect life.

But the defense said there were many others who had reason to kill Tokuhara. Prosecutors said Eric Thompson and his wife Joyce were living a dream life for the most part as high school sweethearts who then got married and bought a home in Kahala all the while creating a successful business.

But after finding out that Joyce was having an affair, prosecutors said Eric went to Tokuhara’s chiropractic clinic in Waipahu to gun him down.

“He shot him not once, not twice, not three times, but four times to the face,” said Deputy Prosecutor Benjamin Rose.

Rose said even though the affair had ended Eric couldn’t stand the idea of Tokuhara still being alive.

“As long as Jon remained alive, Eric Thompson’s life would remain imperfect, so he made a plan to finally fix it,” said Rose.

Rose said evidence will show that Eric went to the clinic on the night of the murder along with his white truck. He said there’s also DNA evidence of a hat that Eric wore that night. But the defense said investigators jumped to conclusions right away when they identified Eric as a suspect.

“Police in this case, blatantly ignored significant obvious other leads that could’ve either tracked existing suspects or found unknown suspects,” said David Hayakawa, Eric Thompson’s attorney.

Hayakawa said there were others who had motive to kill Tokuhara because he had a secret life.

“And that secret life included gambling. On the night in question there was $3,900 in large bills and the police asked questions about it,” said Hayakawa.

The first person on the witness stand was Tokuhara’s mother who discovered his body.

“I went into the office and I saw him on the floor,” said Lilly Tokuhara.

She said she then called 911 and asked for an ambulance.

“She kept asking me to see if Jon is breathing. I couldn’t do that,” she said.

Trial resumes on Thursday, July 13.