89-year-old back in court in wife’s death

Masaharu Ono, the 89-year-old Sacramento man facing a murder charge in the stabbing death of his wife earlier this month, returned briefly to court Friday as a judge said attorneys may be moving toward a resolution in the case.

Ono, who is being held on a medical floor at Sacramento County jail, appeared before Sacramento Superior Court Judge Bunmi Awonyi at the midmorning hearing in a courtroom’s holding cell. Joining Ono were his attorney, Sacramento County deputy public defender John Perkins and interpreter Erin Minoura.

Awonyi granted a delay until July 1, saying Perkins and county prosecutors “were working for avenues of resolution in this matter.”

Ono is accused of killing wife Hiroko Ono, 83, June 5 in their south Sacramento mobile home. Perkins, at Ono’s June 8 arraignment, feared that Ono may be suffering from dementia as a friend of the couple suggested after the homicide. Perkins was unavailable for comment Friday. Sacramento County district attorney’s officials would say only that Deputy District Attorney Tate Davis will be prosecuting the case.

This story was originally published June 19, 2015 at 5:14 PM.