Summary — "The Bucket Hat Mystery" (Dateline / NBC News)

Overview

This Dateline episode investigates the unsolved murder of 47-year-old John “Toks” Tokuhara, a well‑known acupuncturist and surfer from Waipahu, Hawaiʻi. Found shot to death in his small acupuncture clinic on January 13, 2022, John’s killing posed baffling questions — especially a backpack containing roughly $4,000 left at the scene and surveillance footage of a person wearing a floppy white “bucket” hat who appears to enter via the clinic’s back door. The episode traces evidence, timelines, relationships, and the community response while highlighting the surveillance video moment (the hat falling off) that could be the case’s key lead.

Key points and main takeaways

• Discovery and scene

  • John Tokuhara was found dead by his mother inside his clinic, shot with three .22-caliber casings found on scene.
  • No signs of a struggle or ransacking; investigators concluded this was a targeted/execution-style killing.

• Strange evidence/questions

  • A backpack under John’s desk contained about $4,000 in large bills that was not taken — why was so much cash present and why wasn’t it stolen?
  • John was wearing a surgical mask despite being alone; investigators found this curious in context.
  • The shooter appears not to have taken the money, deepening the mystery of motive (robbery vs. personal).

• Timeline of the evening

  • Last patient (and longtime friend) left ~5:30 p.m.; John texted his girlfriend about needing more work/calls around 6:00 p.m.
  • Short exchange with his mother at 6:12 p.m. (she asked “Shall I pack for two?”); John replied he’d be alone. Subsequent messages at 8:34 p.m. and 9:32 p.m. went unread.
  • Surveillance video captures a person in a white bucket hat in the area shortly before John stopped answering calls; a key clip shows the hat wearer pacing across from the clinic minutes before the presumed time of murder.

• Surveillance footage / “bucket hat” person

  • Investigators assembled footage from multiple cameras showing a person in a white floppy hat, sunglasses, mask, windbreaker and carrying a paper bag. The person circles the clinic area, then moves to the clinic’s rear entrance.
  • At ~6:15:51 p.m. the hat is visible near the rear entrance and disappears for ~1 minute 13 seconds — the window investigators believe corresponds to the murder.
  • On the suspect’s apparent escape the hat blows off and lands in the street; the suspect does not stop to retrieve it. That hat potentially contains DNA.

• Persons of interest and romantic entanglements

  • John was well liked and had multiple past and recent intimate involvements that drew investigator attention:
    • Current girlfriend: Andi Irimata (a schoolteacher).
    • Her ex and intermittent partner: Daryl Fujita — questioned by police; he reportedly reset/wiped his phone before surrendering it, which raised suspicion.
    • A married former patient, Joyce Thompson — thousands of explicit Instagram messages with John indicated a brief affair.
    • A separate affair years earlier with the wife of John DeMarco (ended ~14 years ago) was also noted but not pursued as the primary lead.
  • Investigators considered these relationships (and possible jealousy/revenge motives) while also noting no clear enemies or debts in John’s life.

• Community reaction

  • The town rallied with vigils, floral tributes, and a large paddle-out memorial at the beach. Friends described John as “everybody’s best friend,” underscoring how inexplicable the murder felt to his community.

Notable quotes / insights

• “It just still doesn't make sense.” — Reaction to the murder’s inexplicability.
• “Somebody had shot him. Shot him to death like an assassination.” — On the manner of killing.
• “It looked like a person trying to disguise themself to go to a murder.” — About the bucket‑hat suspect and their outfit.
• “He was everybody's best friend.” — Repeated by multiple friends, emphasizing John’s standing in the community.
• Investigative note: the hat falling off “would, presumably, be covered with DNA. So, find the hat. Find John Tokuhara’s killer.”

Topics discussed

• Homicide investigation basics (scene processing, casing/bullet info)
• Forensic and digital evidence (surveillance video, phones, texts, Instagram DMs)
• Motive exploration: robbery vs. personal (jealousy, affairs)
• Community impact and memorials (vigil, paddle out)
• Police outreach and public appeals for information

Action items & recommendations (from investigators / implied)

• Public appeal: anyone with information or who saw suspicious activity or vehicles near the clinic around the evening of Jan. 13, 2022 should contact police.
• Preserve and review surveillance footage: investigators canvassed local businesses to collect cameras; continued review can reveal more angles or corroborating footage.
• Forensics: locate and test the bucket hat (if possible) for DNA and trace evidence; further forensic analysis of the backpack and cash.
• Digital forensics: continue extracting/reconstructing data from John’s devices and other phones (including restored or reset devices) for timelines and contacts.
• Re‑interview persons of interest as new evidence emerges — especially anyone with access to the area or motive connected to John’s recent relationships.
• Public reminder: if you have unshared video or information, provide it to detectives to help close the case.

Status / unresolved elements

• No suspect publicly identified or charged in the transcripted material.
• Key unanswered questions remain: Why was large cash on site? Why wasn’t it taken? Who wore the bucket hat? Why was John alone with cash and mask after hours?
• The hat falling off is presented as a pivotal clue — if recovered and tested, it could provide DNA to identify the killer.

Where to get more / contact

• The episode reiterates police requests for tips. (Specific contact details not included in the transcript; viewers should check local Honolulu/ʻOahu police or Dateline resources for how to submit tips.)

This episode frames a community’s grief around a perplexing murder where motive and identity remain unclear — but surveillance footage (and the fallen bucket hat) offers a tangible lead that could unlock the case.