TOKYO (TR) – As the 25th anniversary of a triple murder at a supermarket in Hachioji City approaches, a member of a criminal syndicate has denied involvement despite evidence possibly linking him to the crime, police have revealed, reports TBS News (July 21).
On July 30, 1995, an unknown assailant shot and killed three female employees of supermarket Nampei Owada in a second-floor office. Each of the three employees — Noriko Inagaki, 47, Megumi Yabuki, 17, and Hiromi Maeda, 16 — were found bound by tape and with gunshot wounds to the head.
A safe containing about 4 million yen showed signs that someone attempted to pry open its door. Since it was known that the employees were unaware of the combination to the safe, it has been speculated that the crime was the result of a failed robbery.
In the latest development, police said that investigators seized a pistol from a gang member upon his arrest over a separate incident in 2009.
According to the results of a ballistics analysis, the seized pistol was likely used in the crime in Hachioji, police said.
The gang member is currently incarcerated. When police asked him about the Hachioji case, the gang member denied involvement, saying, “I have absolutely nothing to say.”
Fingerprints
Fingerprints taken from the tape used to tie the victims proved to resemble those of a man who died in 2005. As of last year, attempts to connect him to the crime were still being undertaken by police.
Persons with information in the case are asked to call the Hachioji Police Station at 042-621-0130.
