Friend of Missing Woman Arrested After Body Is Found

A body believed to be that of a missing Mar Vista woman was discovered Friday in the Marina del Rey harbor next to the boat of a friend, who was immediately arrested for investigation of murder, Los Angeles police said.

Tina Nakamura, 28, disappeared July 6 on the way to meet a friend for dinner at the nearby Casa Escobar. Since then, Nakamura’s family and friends distributed nearly 1,000 flyers about the Sears Roebuck management trainee who worked at the Northridge Fashion Center.

LAPD spokesman Lt. Anthony Alba said a passerby Friday afternoon alerted police to a body floating near the slips at the Anchorage 2100 Marina. Although positive identification is pending a coroner’s investigation, Alba said the body was wearing the same clothes and matched the physical description of Nakamura. He declined comment on reports that an outboard motor was attached to the body to weigh it down.

Police arrested Taelee Howard, 21, a resident of the marina whom detectives were questioning at the Pacific Area station when the body was discovered. Howard was a “personal friend” of Nakamura, owed her money and was the last person seen with her, Alba said.