Eric Thompson Was ‘Sad’ About His Wife’s Affair. Then He Shot and Killed Her Lover

In a tragic case that captured the attention of the Hawaiian public, acupuncturist Jon Tokuhara was found dead in his clinic on January 13, 2022. His mother discovered his lifeless body, which had suffered from three gunshot wounds to the head. Reports indicated that a substantial amount of cash was found near him, wrapped in a label marked “herbs,” raising questions around the circumstances of his death.

The investigation that followed was swift, leading to the arrest of Eric Thompson, who had recently found out that his wife, Joyce Thompson, had been having an affair with Tokuhara. The affair, which Joyce had reportedly begun in July 2021 while seeking treatment for infertility, was a bitter revelation for Eric. Although he experienced feelings of sadness and betrayal upon learning the news, he did not confront Tokuhara directly. Instead, Eric focused on trying to mend his marriage.

Just months later, Tokuhara’s murder shocked the community. Law enforcement retrieved evidence from the scene, including bullet casings and surveillance footage showing a man driving a white Chevrolet Silverado entering the clinic shortly before the shooting. Upon examination, investigators identified Eric Thompson as a primary suspect, largely due to his lack of alibi compared to other vehicle owners that matched the description captured on video.

Thompson was arrested in February 2022, a month after the murder. Authorities later discovered a dozen firearms in his home during the search. As the legal proceedings unfolded, Thompson’s defence team attempted to illustrate that multiple individuals could have had a motive to kill Tokuhara. They argued that the victim reportedly had a history of affairs and a gambling addiction, suggesting that jealousy and anger could have emerged from various sources, not just Thompson.

The trial had its complications; in August 2023, the jury could not reach a unanimous decision, resulting in a mistrial. The prosecution later retried Thompson in February 2025, positing that the evidence clearly pointed to his involvement in the murder. During this second trial, Thompson’s defence attempted to challenge various elements of the case, arguing the police had operated with a “suspect-centric” approach and had overlooked other leads that could have implicated different individuals.

Despite these assertions, the jury ultimately found Thompson guilty of second-degree murder and firearm-related charges. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 15 years. Following his conviction, he was relocated to the Halawa Correctional Facility in Aiea, Hawaii, where he began serving his sentence.

The case drew considerable media attention, and a Dateline episode titled “The Bucket Hat Mystery” explored the details surrounding Tokuhara’s murder and the ensuing investigation. Friends and associates of Tokuhara expressed disbelief at the accusations against Thompson, stating that Tokuhara was not the kind of person to seek to harm anyone and had contributed positively to the community.

As Eric Thompson grapples with his conviction, he reportedly intends to appeal the court’s decision, seeking a chance to overturn the verdict and potentially alter the course of his life following the tragedy that unfolded in the aftermath of a deeply personal betrayal.

The saga of Jon Tokuhara and Eric Thompson serves as a sobering reminder of the unforeseen consequences that can emerge from personal relationships gone awry, leaving a community to ponder the moral complexities of love, jealousy, and violence.