Do you know who killed Midori and Keiryo Mizuno in 1998? In the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, November 4, 1998, a quiet apartment building in Daly City, California, was transformed into a scene of terror and tragedy. A fire, deliberately set by an arsonist, broke out at 15 Poncetta Drive, a large, three-story, 116-unit complex near the Lake Merced Golf and Country Club. The blaze was first reported at 1:14 a.m. and quickly escalated, tearing through the building and sending thick, choking smoke billowing into the hallways and apartments, trapping residents as they slept.
Among the residents of the building were Midori Mizuno, a male, and his wife, Keiryo Mizuno. The married couple lived together in unit #230. As the inferno grew and smoke engulfed their building, they were unable to find a path to safety. Firefighters, battling what would become a three-alarm blaze, discovered the couple unconscious in a second-floor hallway. Midori was pronounced dead at the scene.
Keiryo, reported to be 60 years old, was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital in critical condition, suffering from smoke inhalation and second-degree burns to his face. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he later succumbed to his injuries.
The fire was one of the largest apartment fires in Daly City's memory at the time, requiring a massive response. Forty-four firefighters from Daly City and several neighboring departments, including San Mateo, Hillsborough, and San Bruno, fought the flames for more than four hours. The fire, which was initially declared under control around 3:00 a.m., flared up again two hours later before being fully extinguished by 7:30 a.m. The devastation was immense. At least three apartments were completely destroyed, and up to 15 others sustained serious damage.
In the chaotic aftermath, 142 residents were forced from their homes, displaced by the flames and destruction. The American Red Cross established a temporary shelter at a local gymnasium to assist those who had lost everything. In total, ten people, including a Daly City police officer, were treated at area hospitals for injuries such as cuts, bruises, and smoke inhalation. They were all later released.
From the outset, investigators suspected the fire was not an accident. Daly City Police Chief Sidney Rice noted that the speed at which the fire spread was a key indicator of arson. The investigation soon confirmed these suspicions, and the deaths of Midori and Keiryo Mizuno were officially classified as homicides. The case became a hunt for an arsonist responsible for taking two lives and endangering more than a hundred others.
Decades have passed since the fire on Poncetta Drive, but the case remains unsolved. The Daly City Police Department lists the double homicide of Midori and Keiryo Mizuno on its roster of cold cases, a painful and enduring mystery for the community. No suspects have ever been publicly identified, and the motive for the arson remains unknown. The lives of the Mizuno couple were cut short by a senseless act of violence, and their story is now preserved in the hope that someone with a critical piece of information will come forward.
The investigation into the murders of Midori and Keiryo Mizuno is ongoing. Anyone who may have information related to this unsolved arson homicide is urged to contact the Daly City Police Department. Tips can be directed to Lieutenant Lee Aquila at (650) 991-8169. 
