Murder in the High Desert

Murder in the High Desert

  • Overview
  • Crew

Status

Released

Release Date

Jul 1, 2024

Runtime

0h 20m

Original Title

Murder in the High Desert

Director

Emiko Omori

Description

James Wakasa was shot and killed by a Topaz guard in 1943. Some 78 years later, a monument built by Issei in camp was found and removed from the site where it had been protected, buried in the cracked earth of Topaz where over 8,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated. No Japanese Americans were present when the monument was dug up in July 2021. Four months later, 12 Japanese Americans were finally able to have a ceremony honoring Wakasa at the site of his murder.