Scott Joe Barker and Chie Alexandra Coggins Johnson each face a single count of murder in connection with the slaying of Katsutoshi Tony Takazato, who was found dead Tuesday outside his father's estate:
Prosecutors contend that Barker stabbed Takazato, 21, on Tuesday outside the producer's home in an exclusive neighborhood overlooking the city.Takazato's father produced several low-budget films in the 1990s, including No Strings Attached, Red Meat and Lured Innocence. This is apparently only the third reported homicide in Beverly Hills since 2007. More here: Couple charged with killing son of film producer.
Johnson had been dating Takazato but recently began seeing Barker, who became enraged because he heard Takazato may have abused the woman, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.
The defendants could face life in prison if convicted.
The couple remained jailed on $1 million bail each. It was not immediately known whether they had obtained lawyers.