Witnesses saw her get into a pest control truck driven by a white man, Kirk Lankford. Watanabe seemed confused. She disappeared, and Lankford was later charged with her murder.

Evidence against Lankford included Watanabe’s blood and glasses found in his truck, a cracked windshield (he blamed a bird), and a witness who saw him digging a hole near Kahana Bay around midnight that same day – the witness’s license plate information matched Lankford’s truck. Lankford’s wife also said he came home muddy that night from a supposed “side job,” a statement she later changed.

At trial, Lankford claimed he accidentally hit Watanabe with his truck, slightly injured her, and tried to help. He said she jumped from the truck, hit her head, and died. He panicked and disposed of her body, first trying to bury it, then dumping it in the ocean after he was seen digging. He didn’t call for help because he feared losing his job.

However, experts testified that his story was impossible: Watanabe’s injuries would have been far worse if his account was true, and there was no blood in the places he described. The rocks where he claimed she hit her head weren’t even tested for a year.

Lankford was found guilty of second-degree murder. He received a 150-year prison sentence, meaning he’ll be eligible for parole after 50 years. Watanabe’s body has never been found, and investigators believe it’s likely buried somewhere on the island. She is remembered as a shy, artistic young woman who loved drawing animals.