77-year-old San Jose woman accused of setting house fire that killed husband
SAN JOSE – A 77-year-old San Jose woman is facing arson and homicide charges after police said she set a house fire that killed her husband last week.
According to police, firefighters were called to an elderly couple's home on the 5900 block of Amapola Drive in West San Jose around 3:45 a.m. Saturday. When firefighters arrived, they found the husband in an upstairs bedroom suffering from severe smoke inhalation.
The man was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Police said the woman was arrested after San Jose Fire Department arson investigators determined that the house fire was intentionally set. The woman, identified as 77-year-old Rebecca Makino, was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on arson-related charges.
On Wednesday, the man succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. His name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
Following the man's death, police said a charge of homicide against Makino was added to already pending charges.
According to San Jose Police, the man was the city's 18th homicide victim of 2022.
Jail records show Makino is being held at the Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas on $100,000 bail.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Reckas of the department's homicide unit by emailing 3440@sanjoseca.gov or Detective Ancelet by emailing 4173@sanjoseca.gov or by calling 408-277-5283.
