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Man Who Dressed as Ninja to Kill Filmmaker's Son Convicted of Murder
Photo by Kuzma via Shutterstock
On July 20, 2010, Scott Joseph Barker was dressed in a black ninja outfit as he hid in the carport of the Trousdale Estates home of filmmaker Fuminori Hayashida. When 21-year-old Katsutoshi "Tony" Takazato emerged, clad in his boxer shorts, Baker attacked, fatally stabbing him 58 times with a kitchen knife.
Barker, now 25, was convicted Tuesday of first-degree murder. The jury found true the special circumstance of lying in wait, and also found that Barker personally used a knife to commit the crime, according to a release issued by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.
Takazato "didn't have a chance," prosecutor Amy Carter told jurors during closing arguments, reports L.A. Now.
According to the prosecution, Barker's motive for killing Takazato had to do with a woman, specifically Barker's girlfriend, and Takazato's ex-girlfriend, Chie Coggins Johnson, who reportedly was re-thinking her plans to move to Florida with Barker thanks to Takazato encouraging her to help him cover debts by doing porn and take part in prostitution.
Johnson actually played a role in the killing, and initially faced murder charges, however she "pleaded no contest to assault with a deadly weapon and was given five years of probation in exchange for her testimony."
Barker faces life in prison without parole. Sentencing is scheduled for November 9.
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