IBARAKI (TR) – Ibaraki Prefectural Police have arrested a 28-year-old man over the alleged murder of a female manicurist in Mito City at her apartment last month.
According to police, Takumi Ouchi, an office worker living in the town of Shirosato, is the former boyfriend of 31-year-old manicurist Haruka Komatsumoto, reports NHK (Jan. 21).
On December 31, Ouchi is alleged to have repeatedly stabbed Komatsumoto with a knife and hit her on the head with a blunt object at her residence.
Komatsumoto suffered over a dozen wounds to the head, including a fracture, police said.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of murder on Tuesday, Ouchi denied the allegations. “The allegations are baseless and I know nothing about them,” he said.
Stalking
According to police, Komatsumoto’s wallet, bankbook and mobile telephone were left in the apartment. There were no signs that the premises had been ransacked.
Police believe the incident was committed by an acquaintance with a strong grudge. The investigation is focusing on her social circle.
An examination of security camera footage recorded at the time of the incident implicated Ouchi.
Four days prior to the incident, Komatsumoto had made an anonymous phone call to Mito Police Station inquiring about a hotline for victims of stalking.
A newspaper reporter tells the site of News Post Seven: “According to investigators, the two ended their relationship two years ago, but the suspect is believed to have continued stalking Komatsumoto since last fall, including asking around her neighborhood about her home.”
Police are investigating whether the reason behind her inquiry to the hotline is related to the incident.
