YAMAGATA (TR) – Yamagata Prefectural Police on Wednesday arrested a 23-year-old male Yamagata University student over the alleged murder of a female ophthalmologist in Higashine City last month, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 12).
On the morning of May 19, Hiroki Kato allegedly intruded into the apartment of 50-year-old Chiemi Yaguchi and used a blunt object to repeatedly strike her in the head.
Yaguchi died as a result of damage to the skull caused by repeated blows, police said previously. A previous report indicated that the weapon was a golf putter.
Kato, a resident of Yamagata City, surfaced as a person of interest after an examination of security camera footage taken at the building. Police did not reveal whether the suspect, who has been accused of murder and trespassing, admits to the allegations.
Later on the day of the incident, the younger brother of Yaguchi tipped off police after finding her collapsed inside the residence.
In addition to investigating the circumstances that led to the incident, police are seeking a motive for the crime.
