Kirk Lankford

Overview

Kirk Matthew Lankford (born 1985) was an American from Kalihi, Hawaii. He was convicted of murdering a Japanese tourist in Pūpūkea, Hawaii.

The offence

On April 12, 2007, Japanese tourist Masumi Watanabe disappeared in Pūpūkea, Hawaii. Witnesses later saw Watanabe get inside a Hauoli Termite and Pest Control truck at the Pupukea Foodland. At the time, Watanabe looked “confused” and was not speaking to the driver, although he was speaking to her. She has never been heard from again.

Watanabe’s body was never found.

The indictment charged Lankford with second-degree murder and accused him of either knowingly killing Watanabe, or knowingly harming her and allowing her to die without rendering aid.

Investigation

Police found blood and items belonging to Watanabe in Lankford’s pickup truck. The blood in Lankford’s truck was determined to have been Watanabe’s.

Authorities found Watanabe’s blood and her eyeglasses in Lankford’s company truck, and the windshield on the passenger side was cracked. Lankford claimed a bird had caused the damage.

A witness reported seeing a man digging a hole near Kahana Bay at about midnight on April 12. The man claimed he was looking for a gold chain he had lost. The witness wrote down the man’s vehicle’s license plate number and it matched Lankford’s personal truck, and the witness later identified Lankford in a police lineup.

Rocks were not tested for nearly a year after Watanabe’s disappearance.

Arrest

Lankford was arrested and charged with second-degree murder on April 26, 2007, after police found blood and items belonging to Watanabe in his pickup truck.

Trial

At trial, Lankford pleaded not guilty.

In his trial testimony, Lankford claimed that he had accidentally hit Watanabe with his truck. He testified that she was not seriously injured and that he offered to give her a ride to her destination.

Lankford testified that after he began driving with Watanabe in the truck, she jumped out of the moving vehicle and hit her head on a rock by the road. Lankford testified that when he discovered that she had died, he disposed of her body in the ocean because he said he was frightened that he would lose his job.

Prior to his trial, Lankford told police he had never seen Watanabe before.

At his March/April 2008 trial, Lankford admitted Watanabe was deceased but claimed her death was an accident. He testified that he accidentally sideswiped her with his truck and slightly injured her, then put her in the truck to take her home. He testified that Watanabe could not communicate with him because of her poor English, and that she became agitated and jumped out of the vehicle, hit her head on a rock and died instantly.

Lankford testified that he panicked afterwards and disposed of her body. He testified that he tried to bury it, but after he was caught digging the grave, he dumped the body in the ocean instead. He testified that he did not call rescue workers or the police because he had previously been disciplined by his employer for poor driving, and was afraid he would be fired if he reported the accident.

Prosecution experts at the trial described Lankford’s version of events as “impossible.”

A crash re-creation expert testified that Watanabe would have had severe injuries if she was hit by a truck, but Lankford testified that Watanabe was only scratched on her arms and hands.

The truck’s side mirror and antenna were intact, and they should have been damaged if Lankford had run into Watanabe as he said. In addition, no blood was found in the truck bed, where Lankford said he put Watanabe’s body, and no blood was found on any rocks in the area where he claims she sustained the fatal head injury.

The jury found Lankford guilty of second-degree murder.

Sentencing

At the sentencing hearing, Circuit Judge Karl Sakamoto referred to Lankford as a “predator” and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Peter Carlisle, the city prosecutor, asked the parole board for 120-years minimum imprisonment.

In April 2009, a year after Lankford’s conviction, the parole board sentenced him to 150 years in prison. Lankford would have to serve one-third of this, or 50 years, before becoming eligible for parole.

The normal sentence for second-degree murder was life in prison with the possibility of parole, but if the offender is proven to be exceptionally dangerous to the community, a harsher sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole can be imposed. Prosecutors initially planned to seek the enhanced sentence for Lankford, but they decided against it in May 2008 after psychiatric experts determined Lankford did not have a significant history of criminal violence, which is a requirement for the enhanced sentencing.

Outcome

Lankford was convicted of second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison on July 31, 2008.

Aftermath

Watanabe’s family continued to hope her body might be found.

Investigators did not believe Lankford dumped the body in the ocean as he said, because if he had the body would almost certainly have washed up on shore. Her remains may be buried somewhere on the island.

Watanabe was described as a shy, artistic young woman who loved drawing, especially dogs and other animals. She normally lived with her family on rural Sado Island in Japan. Her body had not been recovered, but foul play was suspected in her disappearance due to the circumstances involved.

Other details

Disappearance details and description

Watanabe was a Japanese citizen visiting Hawaii in the spring of 2007. She was staying with a distant relative on the island of Oahu and volunteered at Sunset Beach Elementary School. She was last seen between 9:20 and at 10:00 a.m. on April 12, 2007, walking on Pupukea Road.

She spoke Japanese and very little English. She had extremely poor vision, with both myopia and astigmatism, and wore silver-framed prescription eyeglasses.

Clothing/Jewelry Description: A navy blue long-sleeved hooded sweater, a brown shirt, blue jeans and pink shoes.

Employment and related claims

At the time of her disappearance, Lankford had worked as a technician for the pest control company, although he was later fired. He was working in the area on the day Watanabe disappeared.

Witness and family information

Lankford’s wife stated he left the house that evening, saying he was going to work a side job, and when he returned his socks were muddy. She later recanted her statement.

Prior history and personal description

Lankford had no criminal convictions as an adult, though he did have a record as a juvenile. He was described as deeply religious and a devoted father and husband.

Items found

Authorities found Watanabe’s blood and her eyeglasses in Lankford’s company truck. The windshield on the passenger side was cracked.