A U.S. Navy officer is facing the death penalty after being formally charged with the brutal 2024 murder of his wife in a Japanese hotel room — a case that’s shaken both the military community and the family of the slain woman who say justice has been far too slow.
Lieutenant Commander (0-4) Christopher Olsen, a surface warfare officer currently assigned to Naval Surface Group Southwest in San Diego, was charged during a preliminary Article 32 hearing last week at Naval Base San Diego. He stands accused of murdering his wife, 37-year-old Jessica “Jesse” Arguinzoni Olsen, in October 2024 while stationed in Japan.
Jesse’s body was found on the morning of October 28, 2024, by hotel staff inside a room at Hotel SOL in Fukuoka, approximately 80 miles from Sasebo Naval Base, where Olsen had been assigned from November 2022 until December 2023. Japanese media initially reported signs of external injury and bleeding; subsequent autopsy results confirmed blunt force trauma and fractures to the jaw and hyoid bones — injuries consistent with strangulation.
According to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Olsen was seen checking into the hotel with his wife on October 25. Two days later, he left alone. Jesse’s body was discovered the following morning, fully clothed, and showing signs of violent assault.
Despite these circumstances, Olsen was not immediately arrested. He was questioned but remained free for months. It wasn’t until May 2025 that the Navy formally charged him with murder and obstruction of justice under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. If referred to a general court-martial and convicted, Olsen could face a dishonorable discharge, life imprisonment, or capital punishment.
Jesse’s family, devastated and increasingly vocal, say the Navy’s handling of the case has been opaque and dismissive.
“LCDR Christopher Olsen has finally been charged—five months later. And still, we wait,” said Jesse’s sister, Janiece Dominique Arguinzoni, in a statement to Newsweek. “No timeline. No answers to our questions about the next legal steps. No clear communication. No respect.”
Jesse’s body was returned to the U.S. in mid-November, and a funeral was held in Monroe, New York. Her family has also fought to retrieve her personal belongings — including those tied to her beloved dog, Thor NuggetBucket — but say they’ve hit roadblocks with both the Navy and local commands.
Adding insult to injury, someone reportedly accessed and deleted Jesse’s Facebook account in January, wiping years of memories and photos. It is not clear why someone would delete her accounut but it is was possible it was an attempt to destroy evidence.
“It was meant to preserve her legacy,” her sister wrote. “Now, it’s been taken from us again.”
Jesse and Christopher met at SUNY Oswego and married in 2009. While stationed in Japan, Jesse worked as a substitute teacher at a Department of Defense school in Sasebo. Her family described her as vibrant, outgoing, and full of life — a woman who began withdrawing in the months before her death, though no one suspected domestic abuse.
“We had no idea they ever had issues,” said Dominique. “None of her friends, even her best friend, had an inkling.”
The couple had no children. Their dog, Thor, was flown back to the U.S. thanks in part to donations from a GoFundMe campaign that raised over $8,000. “Thor is adjusting well to being back in the States,” the family shared in a December update. “Your kindness has made a profound difference.”
Olsen enlisted in 2014 and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in July 2023. His Navy career includes service aboard the USS Chief and USS New Orleans. He is now awaiting a decision from the Office of Special Trial Counsel on whether the case will proceed to trial by court-martial.
In a brief statement, Navy officials said, “The Navy is committed to ensuring the military justice system is fair and impartial, and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
But Jesse’s family is running out of patience.
“We want to grieve,” her sister said. “But the delays and silence keep pulling us back into the worst moment of our lives. Jesse deserves better.”
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