Eben Kaneshiro, a BJJ black belt instructor, The owner of a Portland martial arts academy accused of sexually abusing a boy died of an apparent suicide in jail Sunday, authorities said.
Kaneshiro was arrested last week and charged with three counts of sex abuse and sodomy of a boy under the age of 12. Investigators believe the abuse occurred on April 19.
Kaneshiro was held on $500,000 bail and facing three counts each of first-degree sex abuse and first-degree sodomy involving a boy under the age of 12. He was arraigned on the initial charges last Monday and due back in court Monday afternoon on the formal charges from a grand jury indictment.
On Sunday, deputies found Kaneshiro dead in his jail cell.
Eben Kaneshiro (born December 13 , 1978 in Kailua, Hawaii) had a MMA record 16-14 as a featherweight. He fought former WEC champ Urijah Faber, current WEC fighter Rani Yahya, and current UFC fighter Evan Dunham. Kaneshiro owned and ran a martial arts academy in Southeast Portland called the New Breed Jiu Jitsu Academy. He was a Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under John Ramirez.
The Deschutes County Multi-Agency Major Crime Team was investigating the death, assisted by the Deschutes County Medical Examiner’s Office, but jail officials said it was a suicide.
The District Attorney’s Office will release updated information in future press releases.
