AICHI (TR) – Aichi Prefectural Police on Tuesday arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly setting fire to the residence of his girlfriend in Okazaki City last year, reports
In the early morning hours of December 25, Shota Ban, a company employee, allegedly trespassed into the residence and ignited gasoline after spraying it around.
The 150-square-meter residence was occupied by the woman, then 22, and four members of her family. After the smoke detector sounded, she alerted emergency services.
All of the members of the family fled the building before it burned to the ground. The woman’s mother, then 52, suffered burns to her throat due to smoke inhalation, police said.
Police did not reveal whether the suspect, who has been accused of attempted murder and arson in an uninhabited building, admits to the allegations.
Prior to the incident, the woman discussed breaking up with Ban. He then sent her threatening messages. “I will kill you, and I, too, will die,” he reportedly wrote. “I will also kill the members of your family.”
Last month, a court handed Ban a suspended prison term for threatening the woman with the messages.
