IWATE (TR) – A corpse found in the mountains of Oshu City two months ago is that of a woman who went missing last year, police have revealed, reports TV Asahi (June 29).
On April 29, a man out for a walk in the Maesawaku Seibo area of Mt. Otowa reported the discovery of a human skull off a road. Police arriving at the scene found other body parts nearby.
The cause of and approximate cause of death are not known. There were no personal items or shoes found at the scene.
On Friday, police said that the results of a DNA analysis confirmed that the body is that of Megumi Chiba, a 36-year-old medical clerk living in Ichinoseki City.
Chiba lived with her husband, 36, and 4-year-old son. At around 6:00 a.m. on May 31, 2019, Chiba left the residence on foot after getting into a dispute with her husband.
At least one message sent on the day she was last seen from her husband to her Line account was never marked as having been read.
An acquaintance of Chiba tells Fuji News Network (June 29) that she was likely pregnant when she disappeared.
The location for where her body was found is about 20 kilometers from her residence. Since the area where her body was found is difficult to access without a vehicle, police are considering the case the result of foul play.
In a message conveyed through police, the family expressed “shock” at the developments. “We want to know as soon as possible why this happened,” the message read.