HYOGO (TR) – Hyogo Prefectural Police earlier this month arrested a 69-year-old man over the alleged fatal stabbing of a receptionist for an apartment building in Nishinomiya City, reports the Sankei Shimbun (July 5).
At around 7:45 a.m. on July 4, Mamoru Ichikawa, a part-time cleaning employee, allegedly used a knife to repeatedly stab Ritsuko Fujimoto, 67, in several locations of her body, including the back and head, in an assembly room for the building.
About 35 minutes later, Ichikawa surrendered at the Nishinomiya Police Station. “I killed a person,” he reportedly said. He was in possession of a bag that contained a knife soaked in blood.
Officers rushing to the building found Fujimoto collapsed inside. She was confirmed dead at the scene, police said.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of murder, Ichikawa admitted to the allegations. “I am connected to the woman through work,” he reportedly said.
Police are now investigating the circumstances that led to the incident.
