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Kunitachi man suspected of dumping corpse of wife concealed her disappearance

Katsuhito Aoki
Katsuhito Aoki has been accused of dumping the body of his wife in the mountains of Hachioji City (TV Asahi)

TOKYO (TR) – Investigative sources with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police have revealed that a 51-year-old man in custody for allegedly dumping a body believed to be that of his missing wife communicated with her place of employment to cover up the crime, reports Nippon News Network (Aug. 23).

On Tuesday, police accused Katsuhito Aoki, an insurance examiner living in Kunitachi City, of dumping the body of his wife, 43-year-old Mariko, in the mountains of the Inumemachi area. He has admitted to the allegations.

Mariko, a teacher at a school for children requiring special needs, went missing after leaving work on June 16. Thereafter, the school received a telephone call from the suspect in which he claimed that his wife needed time off because she was not feeling well. On four other occasions, he also sent the school also text messages from Mariko’s phone in which she requested time office.

On July 25, the vice-principal visited her residence and found her to not be present. After the police were alerted, an examination of security camera footage showed the suspect hauling a large bag from the couple’s residence.

“I beat her head multiple times with a hammer”

During questioning on Monday, Aoki admitted to dumping the body of Mariko. Based on his testimony, police found a corpse that they are attempting to identify.

“On the night of [June] 17, we got into a fight, and I beat her her head multiple times with a hammer,” the suspect previously told police. “I packed her body in a sports bag and hauled it away by car.”

According to Fuji News Network (Aug. 23), Mariko had spoken to her husband about getting a divorce.