NAGANO (TR) – Following the discovery of a severed human leg in a field in the village of Minamimaki, police have unearthed a male corpse on the same plot of land — a case that could be linked to a vehicle set ablaze earlier in the day, reports TBS News (Nov. 28).
At around 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, a man working his field called police after he discovered the leg, severed at the knee, at a depth of more than 10 centimeters. Officers arriving at the scene then dug up a corpse of an adult male attired in jeans and a jacket in the same area.
“To be honest, I am surprised,” a neighbor is quoted by the network. “I can not believe such a thing happened in this quiet and peaceful place.”
According to Nippon News Network (Nov. 28), police are investigating whether the discoveries are connected to a car found on fire earlier in the day about two kilometers away. A cigarette lighter and container for fuel were found near the vehicle, which did not have a license plate.
Update: Police have confirmed the identity of the body as that of Yayoi Saito, a 36-year-old resident of Yamanashi Prefecture, reports TV Asahi (Nov. 29).
