The Netflix film Elize: Shadows of a Woman has drawn viewers back to the shocking true story of Elize Matsunaga, who was convicted of murdering and dismembering her husband in 2012. After a 16-year sentence, she was released on parole in 2022.
The Crime and Sentence
Matsunaga met her husband Marcos, a wealthy business mogul, through an escort service. Despite appearing to have a perfect marriage, she suspected infidelity and hired a private investigator. After confronting him about an alleged affair, she shot Marcos, dismembered his body, and discarded the parts in a wooded area. Initially filing a missing person report, she confessed weeks later.
In 2016, she was convicted and sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison, reduced to 16 years in 2019. She has been on parole since 2022, serving the remainder of her sentence under strict supervision in the community.
Parole and Family Life
While free from prison, Matsunaga has lost contact with her daughter, who was an infant at the time of the murder and is now a teenager. Marcos's parents have full custody. According to the film, the Matsunaga family planned to disassociate themselves by removing Elize's surname. She has written letters begging for forgiveness but has not seen her daughter since.
The Netflix Film
In 2021, Matsunaga gave her first interview for the documentary Elize Matsunaga: Once Upon a Crime. She confessed: "I still can't tell what kind of emotion made me pull that trigger." Elize: Shadows of a Woman is now streaming on Netflix.
