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Akita woman arrested in murder of female acquaintance 8 years ago

Ryuko Kobayashi
Ryuko Kobayashi

AKITA (TR) – Akita Prefectural Police have arrested a 64-year-old woman for the murder of her female acquaintance in Katagami City eight years ago, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 29).

On December 14, 2007, the body of Ryuko Kobayashi, who was 55 years old at the time, was found lying face-up inside the living room of her first-floor residence, located in the Itagawamachi area, by her eldest son.

The neck of her body contained markings consistent with strangulation by a cord. The cause of death was ruled to be suffocation.

At a press conference held on Sunday, police announced the arrest of Haru Hayama on charges of murder. “I don’t clearly remember such thing at that time,” the suspect is quoted by police in denying the allegations.

The eldest son had been unable to contact his mother for a three-day period prior to the discovery of her body. Upon his arrival at the residence, its interior had not been ransacked, no valuables stolen and the doors were locked.

The basis of Hayama’s arrest was circumstantial evidence. She became a person of interest after the police learned that her boyfriend had been regularly visiting Kobayashi’s residence, reports TV Asahi (Feb. 29).