Kazuyoshi Miura, a Japanese businessman who stands accused of conspiring to have his wife murdered 27 years ago in Los Angeles was found dead in an apparent suicide, less than 24 hours after he arrived in the United States to answer the charges brought against him. Miura, 61, seemingly hanged himself while in police custody.

Miura's attorney, Mark Geragos, was notified early Saturday by prosecutors in the case about his client's death. Geragos, who was in Italy when notified, said, "I'm shocked. One of my lawyers was with him for 12 hours yesterday and he seemed in good spirits. He was looking forward to fighting this."

Miura arrived in Los Angeles Friday from the US commonwealth of Saipan, where he was being held since his arrest in February on a 1988 Los Angeles County Warrant claiming murder and conspiracy. He was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday on the charges.

Miura was accused of planning to have his wife, Kazumi Miura, 28, killed during a 1981 visit to LA. Miura was hit by a bullet in the leg and his wife was shot in the head. She died one year later in Japan. Prosecutors claim that Miura wanted his wife dead so he could collection $750,000 on her life insurance policies, and that he signaled someone to shoot the couple.

The incident is still to this day a huge story in Japan. In 1988 after the arrest warrant was issued, LA prosecutors decided to work with Japanese authorities instead of having him extradicted. In 1994 he was convicted of murder in Japan, but the verdict was overturned and Japan's highest court issued an acquittal. Earlier this week prosecutors filed papers in court seeking reinstatement of the murder charges, arguing that the law did not recognize convictions or acquittals outside of the United States. Superior Court Judge Steven Van Sicklen ruled, however, that trynig Miura for murder in California would violate a law against double jeopardy.

Although he fought extradition, Miura agreed to return to LA after the murder charge was dismissed. Conviction on the conspiracy charge, however, could have resulted in 25 years to life in state prison.
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Miura's current wife was on her way to LA, and was to meet with his lawyer on Wednesday. Geragos said he contacted the Japanese consulate and asked them to notify her about his death.