FUKUOKA (TR) – Fukuoka Prefectural Police have launched a murder investigation following the discovery of the bodies of the wife of an officer and their two children inside their residence Ogori City on Tuesday, reports TV Asahi (June 7).
At around 9:00 a.m., the bodies of Yukiko Nakata, 38, son Ryosuke, 9, and daughter Miyu, 6, were found collapsed inside the residence by the Nakata’s sister.
Police arriving at the scene initially viewed the case as a murder-suicide. However, the body of Nakata, found lying face-up in the kitchen, showed indications that she had been strangled.
The bodies of the children were found atop futons in a bedroom on the second floor. They also are believed to have been strangled to death.
Nakata’s husband is an officer with the Fukuoka Prefectural Police. According to the Sankei Shimbun (June 7), he said all three persons were sleeping when he left the home at about 6:45 a.m. that same day.
Nakata’s sister arrived at the residence after a person at the children’s elementary school called her to say that they did not arrive that morning.