HOKKAIDO (TR) – Hokkaido Prefectural Police have arrested a 25-year-old man over the alleged strangulation of his girlfriend at their residence in Ebetsu City, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Nov. 16).
Sometime between Saturday night and the following morning, Takumi Yachi, a company employee, allegedly strangled Ruri Koide, an33-year-old dental assistant, at the residence.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of murder on Sunday, Yachi admitted to the allegations. “We got into a fight,” the suspect was quoted by the Ebetsu Police Station.
At around 8:00 a.m. that day, Yachi alerted emergency services. “I strangled [my girlfriend],” he reportedly said.
Emergency personnel arriving at the residence found Koide collapsed inside a room. She was later confirmed dead at a hospital in Sapporo City.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to the incident.
