Homicide Report > Katsutoshi Takazato, 21 [Updated]
Katsutoshi Takazato, 21 [Updated]
Died July 20, 2010
Katsutoshi Takazato, a 21-year-old Asian man, was stabbed to death Tuesday, July 20, in the 1800 block of Carla Ridge in Beverly Hills, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
About 6 a.m., officers responded to reports of an assault in Trousdale Estates, said Sgt. David Perez of the Beverly Hills Police Department.
Police found Takazato, son of a Japanese filmmaker, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene, Perez said.
Later that day, Beverly Hills police arrested Scott Joe Barker, a 23-year-old white man, and Chie Alexandra Coggins Johnson, a 20-year-old woman, in connection with the slaying of Takazato.
A third suspect was released after Beverly Hills police detectives concluded he was not involved, said Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.
On Thursday, Los Angeles County prosecutors charged Barker and Johnson each with a single count of murder.
They are being held in downtown in lieu of $3-million bail. If convicted, each faces up to life in prison.
Johnson had a past relationship with Takazato but had recently begun dating Barker, Robison said. Authorities believe Barker became enraged after learning Takazato may have physically abused Johnson.
Barker went to the home with Johnson and stabbed Takazato multiple times, authorities said.
Takazato’s father produced several low-budget films in the 1990s, including "No Strings Attached" and "Red Meat."
[Update Oct. 3, 2012: Man who wore ninja outfit convicted of killing filmmaker's son]
— My-Thuan Tran and Andrew Blankstein
- Neighborhood: Beverly Hills
- Age: 21
- Gender: Male
- Cause: Stabbing
- Day of the week: Tuesday
- Agency: Beverly Hills PD
- Race/Ethnicity: Asian
One reader comment about Katsutoshi Takazato
It seems like there was a party going on and the suspect stabbed him on the front lawn. It's not clear how the ex-girlfriend was involved. Articles have stated how her current boyfriend was enraged at some perceived abuse Takazato may have inflicted on Johnson. Whether Takazato really did abuse Johnson is unknown but apparently Barker had all of the proof he needed.
On a side note, it's interesting to note that the Trousdale Estates house is owned by Fuminori Hayashida, (Takazato's father). He apparently let his son live there while he was in Japan. Articles keep describing him as a film producer but Hayashida must have been involved in other businesses. Not a bad way to go to college, (Takazato was a student at Santa Monica college), but a pretty sad way to die.
July 27, 2010 at 2:25 p.m.
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