U.S. Marine Indicted in Okinawa for Alleged Murder and Theft
A 20-year-old Marine stationed at Futenma Air Station has been indicted by Japanese prosecutors on suspicion of killing and robbing a woman in Naha, prompting cooperation between U.S. and Japanese authorities.
Japanese prosecutors have indicted Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, a 20-year-old Marine assigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force at Futenma Air Station, on suspicion of murdering and stealing from a woman in Naha, Okinawa. The victim, 39-year-old Anna Yagi, was found unresponsive in her hotel room on October 3 and was pronounced dead at the scene; authorities said the cause of death was suffocation after she was allegedly strangled with a phone cord. Ballard was arrested less than 24 hours later while walking in the city.
The Naha District Public Prosecutors Office has not disclosed whether Ballard has entered a plea. Okinawa police reported that Ballard denied the charges. A spokesperson for the III Marine Expeditionary Force said the U.S. military “recognizes the seriousness of the charges and will continue to cooperate fully with Japanese authorities in their ongoing investigation as the legal process moves forward.”
Yagi’s family issued a statement expressing that they hope “the real culprit will face up to what he has done and make amends.”
The indictment has intensified local criticism of the U.S. military presence in Okinawa, where about 30,000 U.S. service members and their families are stationed. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government “strongly protested” to the United States and called for “thorough discipline among U.S. military personnel, and comprehensive measures to prevent the recurrence of crimes and accidents.” Okinawa Governor Genta Koja said the alleged murder “leaves us no choice but to conclude that the U.S. military’s efforts in maintaining discipline, educating personnel, and other such measures are completely ineffective.”
Following the arrest, U.S. troops on the island were placed under a month-long curfew and required to undergo training on standards, discipline, and community responsibilities. The case follows previous convictions of U.S. service members in Okinawa for violent crimes, including a 2022 sentencing of Marine Lance Corporal Jamel Clayton and a 2024 sentencing of Air Force member Brennon R. E. Washington.