Husband Held in Slaying First Blamed on Burglars

A man has been arrested in the November bludgeoning death of his wife inside their Harbor City home, a slaying that investigators initially blamed on burglars, authorities said Thursday. Chester Johnson, 51, was arrested Tuesday at his new residence in Torrance. He was booked without bail at the Harbor Police Station on suspicion of murdering his 53-year-old wife, Kyoko.

The woman’s 21-year-old daughter found her mother beaten inside the family’s home at in the 23000 block of Oakheath Place on Nov. 15. Kyoko Johnson lay in a coma until her death eight days later.

There were initial indications that burglars had forced their way into the home. But Sgt. Dennis Sebenick said the focus of the investigation changed when investigators found evidence indicating the burglary was staged in an attempt to cover up the assault.