What Happened to Masumi Watanabe? A Case That Shook Oahu with guest reader Erika Prevost

At 21 years old, Masumi Watanabe traveled from Japan to Hawaii to gain independence and confidence while staying with family friends. By all accounts, she was thriving.

Just one week before she was scheduled to return home, Masumi disappeared.

Her case quickly became a tragedy that deeply impacted the community on Oahu, raising difficult questions about safety, accountability, and what might have been prevented. A man was later arrested in connection with her death, and the case left a lasting mark both in Hawaii and beyond.

In this episode, we follow Masumi’s time in Hawaii, the events leading up to her disappearance, and the aftermath that continues to resonate today.

📖 Featuring a guest reading by actress Erika Prevost.

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More About Erika Prevost
Erika is a Japanese-Canadian actor and creator most known for her work on Disney’s hit teen dance drama The Next Step where she played fan-favorite character, Sloane, for 3 seasons. Finding her first form of expression through movement and dance at a young age, she was able to build a repertoire of skills that helped launch her into the industry. Upon graduation from the National Theatre School of Canada, Erika moved to Toronto and portrayed Brianna Bradley on 10 episodes of USA Network’s and Netflix’s mystery thriller Dare Me. Other notable work include leading roles in Lifetime’s Saying Yes to Christmas, Universal Pictures’ 7th installment of their hit franchise Bring It On and Ubisoft’s historical action video game Assassin’s Creed Shadows with over 3 million players.

Currently, Erika can be seen on Season 4 of Amazon’s Emmy nominated drama series The Boys playing the vicious and deadly Tala; as well as CBC’s brand new hit series Saint-Pierre as the tenacious officer Patty Montclair-Ito. Off screen, Erika spends time writing and developing her own projects in collaboration with her fellow artists.

Outside of work, she has a passion for mental health education and community building. She is also an avid animal lover and a sucker for Romance!