CHIBA (TR) – Police in Ichihara City are investigating a suspected murder-suicide after three family members were found dead with severe knife wounds to their necks inside a residence on Friday, reports TV Asahi (June 27).
At around 6:30 p.m., emergency services received a call reporting that three people were bleeding from their necks inside a home in the Sakuradai area, and that they were unconscious and not breathing.
Responding officers and medical personnel arrived to find three individuals collapsed at the scene. All three were subsequently confirmed dead.
Police identified the deceased as 78-year-old Shinichi Mizuguchi, a woman in her 70s believed to be his wife, and 52-year-old Shintaro Mizuguchi, who is believed to be their eldest son living nearby.
The discovery was made by relatives who visited the property after failing to make contact with the family.
According to investigators, the three victims were found lying in separate locations within the house, all suffering from fatal cuts to the neck inflicted by a bladed weapon. A blood-stained kitchen knife was discovered dropped near the body of the eldest son.
Noting that there were no signs of a struggle or ransacking at the scene, police are proceeding with the investigation on the likelihood that the incident was a murder-suicide.
