Suspect In San Jose Airbnb Homicide Mystery Turns Himself In To Sheriff

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) — A homicide suspect in the mysterious death of a woman in a San Jose rental home Tuesday was arrested after turning himself in to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.

The suspect, 25-year-old Ryoichi Fuseya, was accompanied by his attorney when he turned himself into the sheriff’s office headquarters at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday. Fuseya was questioned by detectives and then later arrested and booked into the San Jose Main Jail on murder charges.

A woman’s dead body was found inside a home in unincorporated San Jose on Mountain View Avenue near Gordon Avenue Tuesday afternoon when the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office was called there at about 3:45 p.m.

The victim’s identity has not been released. Authorities did not say whether there were any signs of robbery or struggle in the case.

Neighbors in this normally quiet hillside neighborhood were shocked to find out that a woman had been murdered in the backyard cottage of the home on Mountain View Avenue.

“We’ve lived here for about ten years and we never, ever, ever, ever would imagine anything like this could happen here,” said neighbor Ken Nakamoto.

Detectives determined the cottage was being used as a short-term Airbnb rental property after an investigation lasting all night.

In a statement, Airbnb said, “We are urgently investigating this tragedy, and we are in coordination with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office to offer our full support in their investigation.”

“We were all surprised, yeah. Because nothing really happens around here,” said area resident Katherine O’Dougherty. It’s a nice neighborhood.”

O’Dougherty has lived here for 45 years and had just walked her dogs by the home before authorities arrived.

“I was just wondering you know, how it could happen that quick,” said O’Dougherty. “It takes me about 15 minutes to walk around the block. And by the time I got back I saw all the sheriffs were here.”

The sheriff’s office thanked the Santa Rosa Police Department, Gilroy Police Department and Alameda County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.

“This is good news. Good news for the neighborhood and for everyone else. The sheriff’s department worked diligently and did the right thing by making the arrest,” said neighbor Mike Fleming.

It was not known Wednesday if Fuseya had any relationship with the victim.