A former San Diego man has been arrested in Hawaii in connection with the cold case slaying of his wife, whose body was found in the Anza-Borrego Desert seven years ago, police said Friday.
Honolulu police working in conjunction with San Diego police homicide investigators arrested Anthony Edward Simoneau, 46, Thursday on suspicion of murder in the death of Fumiko Ogawa Simoneau, 41, San Diego police Lt. Mike Hastings said.
The suspect is now awaiting extradition proceedings to San Diego.
Fumiko Simoneau’s body was found near the Bow Willow Campground on Jan. 20, 2007, according to Hastings, but wasn’t identified for several years. The county Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death a homicide.
Park Rangers and the Sheriff’s Department conducted the initial investigation into her death, but Hastings said the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office would now become the lead agency.
The suspect had filed for a divorce from his wife in 2002 but withdrew the court papers after the victim inherited a large amount of money from relatives in Japan, CBS8 reported. Her family lost contact with her in early January of 2007.
After her disappearance from the Point Loma area, which Simoneau did not report, he bought four Land Rovers, a boat, a motorcycle and a Hummer, according to CBS8. Simoneau left San Diego eight months after Fumiko Simoneau was last heard from, the television station reported.
Police asked anyone with information on the killing to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293, or to contact San Diego Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
– City News Service
