While all theories deserve consideration until a case is resolved, some raise more questions than they answer. Take, for instance, the idea that the killer was a teenager from a US military base in Japan. If we follow that path, we’re faced with a mix of oddities.
Imagine a teenage boy, presumably underage and financially supported by his middle-class parents—given the selective nature of military base staff. Yet, his wardrobe is an eclectic mix of locally sourced, mainly discount store finds. Why is his clothing distinctly Japanese, with not a single American brand in sight? Isn’t it odd? After all, these families, patriotic enough to serve abroad, would likely cherish American brands as a small comfort from home.
Instead, we find him in cheap synthetic leather sneakers from a possibly Korean-made British brand (Slazenger, seriously?) while his peers are strutting around in Nike—the quintessential choice for American youth at the time. OK, some could enjoy ASICS, for a change. And let's not overlook his weapon of choice—a sashimi knife bought from a local supermarket. Another distinctly Japanese element in the narrative. Did he detest American products so much that he excluded everything American from his life? At 15-16?
Why drive all the way, underage, through Tokyo, only to not linger in the victim’s house? Was he there to test his sashimi knife or his own nerves?
Then there’s the mysterious bird droppings found in his pocket—completely overlooked in the grand debate. These weren’t just any droppings but likely from indoor birds like canaries or finches, possibly from a bird enclosure with a sand bath (a common feature). Bird owners purchase specially purified sand, not too alkaline, similar to that from the Mojave Desert, in bags. It’s more mundane, perhaps, but it’s there—ignored yet significant.
Consider the gloves. Amongst the budget-friendly attire, we find an oddly luxurious pair of authentic leather gloves with fur lining—worth almost half the price of a Uniqlo jacket. This splurge stands out like a sore thumb. But it’s not impossible to imagine he acquired them opportunistically, perhaps picking them up off a train where someone might have left them. Did the TMPD track lost property on train lines? We don’t know. A simple check could have been revealing (timing, line, location).
Back to our hypothetical base boy. Military bases keep meticulous logs of entrances and exits. Even if residents have some freedom of movement, it doesn’t mean they are unregistered. These logs would show who was in or out on that fateful night. If the TMPD had any real interest, wouldn’t they start there?
And then there’s the sand found in the bag—officially identified as from the Mojave Desert. Despite this reveal on the Japanese wiki page, we’re left wondering how it connects to our supposed suspect or any specific location like Edwards. The TMPD hasn’t disclosed their sand samples or findings. There are many ways that sand could have ended up in the killer’s bag—through a bird’s bath, his socks, money, a stress ball, or even a broken hourglass (or a sauna sand clock—Japanese do love their saunas). We know there were only a few grains of this sand, not a sealed and signed bag. And how rubbish ends up in our bags is as much a mystery as socks disappearing in the washing machine.
