Gun enthusiast David Anderson (43), who denies carrying out the killing, was arrested in early February – six days after his ex-wife Megumi Anderson died in her apartment
Gun enthusiast David Anderson (43), who denies carrying out the killing, was arrested in early February – six days after his ex-wife Megumi Anderson died in her apartment on Stollar Bela Street in the Hungarian capital on January 29.
Police initially ruled out foul play, but their handling of the case sparked outrage and protests in Hungary after the Patent Association, a woman’s rights organisation, called for a “thorough investigation” and said they had been assisting Megumi since 2023 over issues with her ex-husband, shortly after they had divorced.
The Association have informed this newspaper that Megumi, who had two young children with Anderson, had claimed he was violent to her when she was pregnant and breastfeeding and also subjected her to emotional, verbal, psychological and financial abuse.
Megumi Anderson’s body was found in her burnt-out apartment
It’s claimed Megumi reported him to police on numerous occasions but police did nothing to follow up. She alleged he threatened her on numerous occasions and wrote to her saying: “You will die a painful, slow death”. However, police wrongly told her that wasn’t a crime in Hungary.
She also reported her laptop stolen from her apartment, saying she suspected Anderson took it – but, again, police did nothing, as they said they couldn’t prove that it was him.
Concerns
It’s reported Megumi wanted to travel back to Japan with her children and was in fear of Anderson who was trying to stop that from happening.
When she was found dead, Megumi’s friends and the Patent Association had serious concerns she was murdered and essentially forced the police to reopen the investigation through public pressure.
Gun enthusiast David Anderson (43), was arrested six days after his ex-wife Megumi Anderson died
“I’m 100pc sure they would have closed the case if the statement wasn’t released,” Julia Spronz of the Patent Association told the Sunday World this week.
“Megumi was so sweet. She was very nice and kind. She was very loving and humble.”
A person close to Anderson, who still speaks to him regularly while in detention, told the Sunday World this weekend that he maintains his innocence.
“He insists that he did not kill the children’s mother, and he hopes I will not give up hope and will wait for him,” the person said.
Police initially thought the fire was accidentally caused by smoking in bed, despite friends telling police Megumi didn’t smoke.
The public pressure led to further investigations and an autopsy revealed signs of violence, it’s reported. It is understood she died by asphyxiation before the fire was started.
Gun enthusiast David Anderson on the firing range in an Irish top
Anderson was later arrested and is now in pre-trial detention on suspicion of murder.
As well as threatening Megumi, Anderson also allegedly made threats to his family. They have not visited him since he was arrested, but did travel to Budapest to meet with Megumi’s family where they agreed together on who would get custody of the children.
Anderson grew up in Los Angeles but later renounced his American birthright and became an Irish citizen, as he qualified through his maternal side of his family.
Anderson met Megumi in the United States and after the couple married they lived in multiple countries, including Japan, before moving to Budapest around a decade ago.
They had two children and, bizarrely, Megumi travelled to Brazil to give birth on both occasions so the children could have Brazilian passports, before immediately returning to Europe.
Their relationship broke down in 2020 and their divorce was finalised in 2023 before he moved to the Netherlands later that year. According to sources, he didn’t pay any child support.
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News in 90 Seconds – Sunday, August 31
Anderson then got married to a Chinese national in Denmark later that year.
It’s claimed he made life difficult for Megumi during this time, objecting when she wanted to move their two children to the same school.
“He said he didn’t want to have both kids in the same school because it would be too comfortable for Megumi,” Ms Spronz said.
Gun enthusiast David Anderson
It is claimed he prevented her from taking the children abroad and kept their passports.
Anderson travelled from the Netherlands to Budapest on numerous occasions after the divorce, turning up unannounced and staying in Megumi’s apartment, saying he wanted to visit the children.
Enthusiast
It’s claimed she was in fear of him and didn’t want him there. “Every time he was in Budapest he moved into the apartment,” Ms Spronz said.
“She tried to stop him but he had an address card for the apartment so the police helped him get into the apartment when she tried to stop him.”
He was a gun enthusiast and regularly posted pictures and videos of himself online firing weapons, including at shooting competitions where he wore an Ireland shirt. It is understood he also took his children to firing ranges.
On one of his visits back to Budapest in 2023, after the couple had split, Anderson posted a picture of two firearms and bullets on a table alongside the chilling message: “A few days in Budapest. Spent quality time with the kids and made sure my mini in-house arsenal is ready for 2024.”
The weapons were a M1911 and a CZ Shadow 2 and he uploaded that picture as part of a post which included other pictures Anderson had taken with his children on the trip; he used the hashtags “#family #children #homeschool #books #guns #1911 #czshadow2 #budapest #hungary” under the post.
Police seized the firearms after Megumi’s death but it is understood he had documentation for them.
Anderson posted numerous pictures of his children online during his visits to Budapest alongside comments including: “I love them more than anything in the world.”
He also posted pictures of them visiting Ireland with family.
The initial police response to the case sparked outrage in Hungary and led to people taking to the streets to voice their anger.
Authorities later apologised and launched an inquiry into why Megumi’s previous complaints were not followed up and launched disciplinary action against several officers.
After eventually launching a murder investigation, police analysed CCTV footage which showed the former couple’s son leaving on the morning of January 29 with a scooter.
Anderson later took their daughter swimming in a taxi and he told police he did not return to the apartment after that. However, it’s reported they soon discovered discrepancies in his story after checking CCTV.
Police allege that after he left the apartment he changed his clothes and returned wearing a balaclava and helmet to disguise himself.
Anderson maintains he played no role in his wife’s death
They released CCTV which allegedly shows him wearing the clothes he changed into without the helmet on and subsequently with the head covering, as he entered the apartment.
They say he left the apartment and returned later when he called emergency services to report the fire.
Firefighters found the charred remains of Megumi’s body in the apartment after putting out the blaze.
Megumi had wanted to leave Hungary with her children for Japan at the time of her death but she was unable to travel as her ex-husband had the children’s passports.
She was going through a court process on the matter and the Patent Association were assisting her with the case but the process had not completed by the time she was murdered.
The Budapest Police (BRFK) came in for widespread criticism after highly insensitive responses they made to those raising concerns about Megumi’s death on their official Facebook page.
In one incident, they replied with a winking emoji when someone questioned police effectiveness and when someone said she didn’t smoke they responded by saying “How do you know?” – to which the person replied that they personally knew the deceased.
Vigils took place in Budapest for Megumi after her death and the Patent Association said there was a “systemic social crisis that deepens with every case that is hushed up.”
Ms Spronz said that things have changed in the police force as a result of the case.
“We can see the police handled domestic violence case with much more attention now and they have asked for training and regular meetings. There is a clear change of attitude.”