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Details emerge about killing of Vietnamese girl in Chiba

Yasumasa Shibuya
Yasumasa Shibuya regularly worked safety patrols for the Mutsumi Daini Elementary School

CHIBA (TR) – The former chairman of a parent-teacher association charged with abducting and killing a Vietnamese girl possibly strangled her in his car, investigative sources revealed on Saturday, Chiba Nippo reports (May 7).

An investigative source said trace evidence of urine of the girl, Le Thi Nhat Linh, was found on the backseat of the car belonging to Yasumasa Shibuya, 46, the head of the PTA at Mutsumi Daini Elementary School in Matsudo City.

Police believe Shibuya, who regularly worked security patrols for students each morning but not on March 24 when Le went missing, could have murdered her inside the vehicle. He is believed to have intentionally targeted Le.

The investigative source said signs of strangulation about several centimeters wide were found on the neck of Le, who was found by a fisherman in grass near a canal in Abiko City two days after she went missing.

Police first arrested Shibuya on April 14 for abandoning the corpse of Le. The suspect was prosecuted for murder and abduction for sexual purposes on Saturday.

Strangled and murdered

The results of an autopsy revealed that she likely died due to suffocation caused by strangulation. Police believe the urine was likely from when Shibuya strangled and murdered her, according to Fuji News Network (May 7).

The signs of strangulation were faint, suggesting Shibuya likely used a soft material, the source said, adding that police seized ropes and towels from Shibuya’s home in a bid to expedite the investigation.

The victim also had small injuries on her arms and legs, but no signs to suggest she was dragged along the ground. Rice she consumed during breakfast was also found in her stomach, suggesting Shibuya killed her hours after he abducted her.

When police seized Shibuya’s vehicle, a sheet was draped over the backseats where hair belonging to Le was also found. The suspect was likely attempting to impede the investigation, police said.