Navy Officer Charged After Wife Found Dead in Hotel Room
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A U.S. Navy officer was charged with second-degree murder on Wednesday in the death of his wife, Jessica "Jesse" Arguinzoni Olsen, whose body was discovered in a hotel room in Japan in October.
Lieutenant Commander Christopher Olsen was also charged with obstruction of justice at a preliminary hearing at Naval Base San Diego on Wednesday.
Why It Matters
Jesse's family is calling on the Navy for more transparency as the case proceeds. Dominique Arguinzoni, Jesse's sister, said the family is still searching for answers after Christopher was charged.
"LCDR Christopher Olsen has finally been charged—five months later. And still, we wait. No timeline. No answers to our questions about the next legal steps. No clear communication. No respect," Dominique told Newsweek.
Dominique confirmed to Newsweek that Olsen was charged with Article 118, which is second degree murder, and Article 131B, which is obstruction of justice, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. She noted that the United States Navy is handling the court proceedings.
Lieutenant Commander Christopher Olsen has been charged with murder following the death of his wife, Jessica 'Jesse' Arguinzoni Olsen.
Lieutenant Commander Christopher Olsen has been charged with murder following the death of his wife, Jessica 'Jesse' Arguinzoni Olsen.
Dominique Arguinzoni
What To Know
Christopher joined the Navy in 2014 and became a surface officer last July. He was stationed at Sasebo Naval Base in Japan from November 2022 to December 2023. He is now assigned to Naval Surface Group Southwest in San Diego.
Police found Jesse, 37, dead in a hotel room in Fukoka on October 28. She suffered injuries to her head, including her jaw and hyoid bones, Stars and Stripes reported.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Naval Forces Japan for comment.
Dominique said her family has been treated like an "afterthought" ever since they were informed of Jesse's death over the phone.
"There was no in-person visit, no support team, no effort to ensure they were physically or emotionally able to process the news," Dominique said. "We were simply told that Jesse was dead—and that her husband, LCDR Christopher Olsen, was a person of interest."
She said the family was promised a liaison officer to help them navigate the process of settling Jesse's affairs and navigating legal proceedings.
"First, we were told that the liaison had retired. Then, we were told my parents were not eligible for a liaison at all, because the legal next of kin—the person of interest in her murder—was her husband," Dominique said.
The family is still awaiting the return of Jesse's personal belongings .Dominique said they were asked to provide a list of items, so Christopher can decide whether to release them.
"What kind of system prioritizes the accused over the grieving? How can we accept a system where the family of a murdered woman must beg for updates and plead for the return of her belongings?" Dominique said.
The family is calling for justice for Jesse and wants to ensure that "no other family is ever treated this way again."
A Facebook group has been started called "Justice for Jesse Olsen" and a GoFundMe for the family has raised over $8,000.
What People Are Saying
Dominique, in a statement to Newsweek: "The silence from the Navy is not just inhumane—it is part of the injustice. This lack of accountability and communication must be exposed. Jesse was a daughter, a sister, and a beloved human being. She mattered. And she deserves better than to have her life and death swept under the rug."
Commander Paul Macapagal, spokesperson for Naval Forces Japan, in comments to Stars and Stripes: "We are unable to comment further at this time due to the ongoing litigation. The Navy is committed to ensuring the military justice system is fair and impartial, and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty."
What Happens Next
The hearing officer is expected to make a recommendation to the Navy's Office of Special Trial Counsel, which decides whether to refer the case to trial.
Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
ICE Arrests TikTok Influencer Who Documented Immigration Raids at Her Home on Livestream
An onlooker attempted to disrupt the detainment of Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez by towing a police vehicle Colombian TikTok influencer Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez was taken into ICE custody while live streaming from her home in Los Angeles. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Martinez was arrested in connection with a prior DUI. Newsweek reported Martinez, who is well-known on TikTok for posting videos that document several ICE arrests, was filmed on Friday seated in her Tesla when agents opened her car door and pulled her onto the pavement. She also appeared to experience a medical event during the arrest, and at one point onlookers are heard demanding treatment for her. More from TheWrap ICE Arrests TikTok Influencer Who Documented Immigration Raids at Her Home on Livestream Gal Gadot Says Hollywood 'Pressure' to Speak Against Israel Affected 'Snow White' Box Office | Video Gavin Newsom Explains the Social Media Strategy Behind His Viral Trump Trolling MrBeast, Adin Ross and xQc Raise $12 Million in 18-Hour TeamWater Charity Livestream The arrest was also briefly interrupted by a man who attempted to tow one of the police cars in the arrest. 'He mocked and videotaped ICE officers chasing after him,' McLaughlin also told Newsweek. 'Secretary Noem has been clear: Anyone who seeks to impede law enforcement will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.' Martinez was initially transported to White Memorial Hospital and is currently being held in a detention center in downtown Los Angeles. On Thursday, Los Angeles Rep. Jimmy Gomez accused ICE of staging an empty migrant detention center. 'One person was talking to the Mexican consulate who happened to be there, and the other person was just in the cell with their head down on a table or on the table or something. He was just kind of sitting there,' Gomez said of the center he visited recently. Gomez also questioned why the center was so empty despite the numerous arrests made recently. Nearly 2,800 people have been taken into ICE custody since early June. 'They've been running raids, even over the weekend, and all of a sudden there's no one there? That's just completely bizarre,' he told MSNBC's Jen Psaki. The post ICE Arrests TikTok Influencer Who Documented Immigration Raids at Her Home on Livestream appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
IDF strikes Houthi energy infrastructure, including Haziz power station in Sanaa
At least two explosions were heard in the Yemeni capital Sanaa near a power station, residents said early on Sunday. The IDF struck an energy infrastructure site that was used by the Houthis in Yemen, the military confirmed on Sunday morning. According to the IDF, the strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by Houthis against Israel and Israeli civilians, including launching surface-to-surface missiles and drones toward Israeli territory. Army Radio reported that the Israel Navy struck in Yemen and targeted the Haziz power station. The report compared the strike to an earlier one this year in the port of Hodeidah. The Houthi-run Beirut-based Al Masirah TV reported earlier that a power plant south of the Yemeni capital Sanaa was hit by an "aggression," knocking some of its generators out of service. The Yemeni channel did not identify the source of the reported "aggression." Senior Houthi leaders were at the power station at the time of the strike, according to a report by UK-based outlet The Telegraph. Teams were working to put out a fire caused by the incident, Al Masirah added, citing a source in civil defense as saying. At least two explosions were heard earlier in Sanaa, residents said. Videos of the explosion showed clouds of smoke and flames erupting from an unidentified structure. Houthis have been striking Israel for months Israel has been carrying out airstrikes in Yemen in response to the Houthis' attacks on Israel. The Yemeni group has been firing missiles toward Israel, most of which have been intercepted, in what they describe as support to Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas War. The US and the UK had also previously launched attacks against the Houthis in Yemen. In May, the US announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to the group's shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel. Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Newsweek
Nelly Korda Sounds Alarm as Catfishing Scam Targets Fans, Female Golfers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Over the past five years, LPGA players have repeatedly raised their voices against a disturbing trend of catfishing scams that impersonate female golfers, lure fans into fake relationships and drain them of thousands of dollars. Despite public warnings, the scams persist. And now, they've pushed former world No. 1 Nelly Korda to speak out with urgency. TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 27: Nelly Korda of the United States looks across the 10th green during the final round of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open 2025 at Dundonald Links Golf Course on July... TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 27: Nelly Korda of the United States looks across the 10th green during the final round of the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open 2025 at Dundonald Links Golf Course on July 27, 2025 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by) More The latest eye-opening moment came from The Athletic, which created a fictitious Instagram account under the name Rodney Raclette, a 62-year-old Indiana native and self-proclaimed LPGA superfan. Within 20 minutes of following a few verified accounts, Rodney received a message from what appeared to be Nelly Korda herself. "Hi, handsomeface, I know this is like a dream to you. Thank you for being a fan," read the DM from @nellykordaofficialfanspage2, per report. Of course, it wasn't Korda. And Rodney doesn't exist. But the scam was all too real. In the real world, a fake account impersonates a golfer, initiates contact, then quickly shifts the conversation to Telegram or WhatsApp. From there, the scammer offers exclusive perks, VIP access, autographed gear, and even romantic promises in exchange for untraceable payments via cryptocurrency or gift cards. Once the money stops, the scammer vanishes. This forced Korda to raise her voice. "It's been taken out of my hands being able to communicate freely with fans," Korda told The Athletic. "Because I don't really know their intentions." Korda has pinned a warning to the top of her Instagram profile, but the scams are evolving faster than she can report them. She says she used to flag 20 fake accounts per day. Now, they multiply by the hour. "You're just put into a situation you really don't want to be in," she said as quoted by The Athletic. "You feel bad, you feel guilty for people going through this. It's the last thing you want. It's not only putting the players in danger, in a sense, but it's putting all the fans in danger." This is not the end, though. In one case, a Pennsylvania man drove four hours to Liberty National Golf Club believing he had a VIP dinner planned with Rose Zhang. He had sent her $70,000 over a year. Zhang's agent had to break the news that it wasn't her and that he had been scammed. Even The Athletic's fictional fan made up for the story was asked for ID and offered a "Fan Membership Card" for $700. When he hesitated, the fake Korda threatened to end the conversation until she sent an AI-generated video of the real Korda, altered to address him by name. Security experts say the scams are difficult to trace and nearly impossible to prosecute. Most perpetrators operate overseas, and the FBI rarely intervenes unless the financial loss crosses a high threshold. All said, the problem persists. The day after Rodney's account was created, the scam page that messaged him was deleted. When Rodney emailed the fake Korda to ask why, she replied, "I deactivated the account because of imposters, and the FBI are working on catching them." That, too, was a lie. As the LPGA continues to grow in popularity, so does the threat. More Golf: Akshay Bhatia Lands New Car With Ace at BMW Championship Third Round
