Kriti Mehrotra
‘Elize Matsunaga: Once Upon a Crime’ is a Netflix documentary series that examines the tale of a murder that shocked Brazil to its very core. On May 19, 2012, the heir of Yoki Food Group, Marcos Matsunaga, was shot, killed, and dismembered by his wife. As per Elize’s own remarks, her motive was psychological abuse and his infidelities. This four-part program marks the first time she’s breaking her silence on the matter, but despite the horrific reveals, it’s just her daughter whom we can’t stop wondering about. So, let’s find out where she is today, shall we?
Who is Elize Matsunaga’s Daughter?
Once Marcos Kitano and Elize Matsunaga got married after living together for three years — while his divorce from his first wife wasn’t finalized — they decided to start a family. Elize gave up birth control, and the couple made several trips to the doctor’s office before finally finding out that they were expecting their first (and only) child. At that point, Elize was considering a legal separation due to her husband’s infidelity. However, because Marcos was elated by the news and promised to stop, they stayed together. They then welcomed a baby girl into their lives.
Elize had dreamed of securing a family where her children would grow up with both their parents by their side. Yet, her daughter was just a year old when she snapped and killed the toddler’s father. The Matsunagas’ fights had been blowing out of proportion day-by-day, and it culminated on that fateful May evening, particularly after Marcos threatened to take their girl away by gaining sole custody. Initially, Elize thought of running away with their child, but she stayed because she did not want to endanger her. She was also the reason Elize confessed in June.
Where is Elize Matsunaga’s Daughter Now?
When Marcos Matsunaga’s parents learned that Elize was a former escort, they demanded a DNA test. Once it was verified that he was the toddler’s father, Elize not only lost her parental rights, but a judge also awarded the girl’s custody to her paternal grandparents. She truly wanted her family to be her child’s custodians, but that was out of the question. Thus, Elize has not seen her daughter since 2012, but it seems like she is safe, happy, and healthy with her grandparents. Although they have not been in touch, she was told who her parents were around 2017.
Everything Elize does today is for a possible future with her daughter. She knows that she doesn’t have parental power anymore, but she hopes for a potential bond and forgiveness anyway. Elize also admitted that she is the one who deserves the entire story of that day more than anyone, so if she wants, she’ll tell the little Matsunaga everything. Elize writes letters to her daughter and sews things for her while behind bars, believing that she will hopefully earn her understanding and love one day. The girl is only around 10-years-old now, so that might take a little while.
Read More: Was Elize Matsunaga Really an Escort? How Did She Meet Marcos Matsunaga?
