TOKYO (TR) – A 31-year-old male nurse in custody over the fatal stabbing of his female colleague at her residence in Suginami Ward last week has injuries on his body that could be the result of a struggle, police have revealed, reports TBS News (Mar. 31).
On March 26, Yusuke Matsuoka allegedly stabbed Tsugumi Terui, a 32-year-old nurse, in the back inside her second-floor residence, located in the Shimoigusa area.
Police sent Matsuoka to prosecutors on suspicion of murder on Sunday. “I didn’t stab [her],” the suspect was quoted by police in denying the allegations.
On the day of the crime, officers following up on a distress call arrived at the residence and found Terui collapsed on the floor near the balcony. She was later confirmed dead at a hospital, police said previously.
A blood-stained knife was found near Terui. The front door was unlocked, and there were signs of a struggle, including knocked over furniture.
In the latest development, police also said on Sunday that Matsuoka has abrasions to his hands and head, possibly the result of a struggle with the victim.
Matsuoka and Terui had been colleagues at the same nursery for six years. He surfaced as a person of interest after an analysis of security camera footage showed him in the area of the residence.
Officers took Matsuoka in for voluntary questioning on Saturday morning. A DNA analysis conducted on material found on the body of Terui proved to be a match for Matsuoka.
Terui’s mother lives in Iwate Prefecture, which was devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Terui annually visited Iwate to participate in memorial events held for the victims of the disaster.
“There is nothing to say since Tsugumi is not coming back,” Tsugumi’s mother was quoted. “Why was she killed?”
