TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two men over the alleged murder of a third man at the victim’s residence in Ome City earlier this month.
On December 28, police sent Kazuhito Yamamoto, a 31-year-old Korean national, and Toshiki Nomura, 25, to prosecutors for allegedly killing 67-year-old Kazuo Ogawa, reports TV Asahi (Dec. 28).
Police did not reveal whether the suspects admit to the allegations.
At around 1:55 a.m. on December 14, Ogawa telephoned police from the residence, located in the Nariki area, about a burglar.
Officers arriving at the scene about 15 minutes later found Ogawa collapsed and bleeding from the head in the kitchen room. He was later confirmed dead at a hospital.
Ogawa suffered a skull fracture, which has led police to believe he was beaten with a blunt object. About 3 million yen in cash was found near his body, police have also revealed.
According to another TV Asahi story, the suspects are believed to have hidden in a mountainous area near the crime scene after the incident.
An examination of security camera footage revealed that they then moved to a nearby railway station and took a train to Tokyo.
News outlets previously reported that local residents knew that Ogawa kept around 100 million yen in cash on the premises. “He had three or four briefcases [containing the cash], a neighbor was quoted.
Ogawa worked at a transportation company until he retired at the age of 60. He had been living alone in the residence since the death of his mother about 10 years ago.
Police are now investigating whether a third person was involved in the crime.
