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Man Arrested In Connection With Student's Disappearance

Japanese Exchange Student's Body Not Recovered

POSTED: 3:56 am HST April 27, 2007
UPDATED: 11:33 am HST April 27, 2007

A missing-person case on Oahu has become a slaying investigation.

Honolulu police said that a Kalihi man was arrested early Friday morning on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the disappearance of a Masumi Watanabe, a 21-year-old exchange student from Japan.

"Based on forensic evidence, we have reclassified the case from a missing-persons case to a homicide investigation," said Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa.

Watanabe was last seen on April 12 when she went for a walk in Pupukea. An extensive search effort failed to locate her.

Police said Watanabe's glasses and blood were found in a truck belonging to Kirk Lankford, 22, an employee of Hauoli Pest Control.

The truck was impounded last week.

Police said they obtained a search warrant after several witnesses put the truck in the area where Watanabe disappeared.

Lankford's neighbors said he's been living in the Kalihi area for about two years.

They describe him as a family man who attends church almost daily.

"He's a good guy," a neighbor told KITV-4 Island Television News. "We always see him. He loves his son. He and his wife goes to church. There are lots of kids that come over, and they have a gathering and read their Bible and stuff."

Watanabe's body has not been recovered.
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