A 20-year-old U.S. Marine has been indicted on robbery and murder charges in connection with the death of a 39-year-old Japanese woman in Okinawa, Japanese authorities announced on Sunday.
Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, was indicted by the Naha District Court on charges stemming from the October 3 incident in Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. Ballard has denied the allegations, according to reports.
The indictment follows Ballard’s arrest on suspicion of robbery and murder after he was found walking alone in Okinawa City the day after the incident. Investigators allege that Ballard strangled the woman with a telephone cord between 2:10 AM and 4:15 AM on October 3 in a hotel room. The victim had checked into the hotel with a man around 2:10 AM, and hotel staff discovered her body when she failed to check out on time.
Prosecutors stated that Ballard stole the victim’s backpack, which contained her wallet and other belongings. Security footage reportedly showed a man matching Ballard’s description entering the hotel with a backpack, and the backpack was later found near the scene. Under Japanese law, conviction for murder can result in the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Ballard was initially arrested on suspicion of robbery and murder before being indicted. The case has drawn renewed attention to longstanding tensions in Okinawa over the presence of U.S. military installations and incidents involving American service members.
Okinawa Governor Genta Koja has called on the Japanese central government to strengthen preventive measures following the incident. Local residents have frequently expressed anger over crimes committed by U.S. military personnel, including offenses against women and allegations of noise and environmental pollution associated with military bases.
The U.S. Marine Corps has not issued an immediate public response regarding the indictment. Ballard remains in custody pending trial.