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Kanagawa cops seek help in murder-arson case in Yugawara

Firefighters found the body of Mie Hirai with a knife plunged into her forehead inside her home in the town of Yugawara two years ago
Firefighters found the body of Mie Hirai with a knife plunged into her forehead inside her home in the town of Yugawara two years ago (NHK)

KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police are once again seeking the help of the public in locating a person wanted for questioning in the killing of a 66-year-old woman who was found dead in her burned-out home in the town of Yugawara two years ago, reports TV Asahi (April 21).

At JR Odawara Station and other locations on Thursday, police distributed information sheets containing an image of the man taken from surveillance camera footage, which shows him standing approximately 170 centimeters in height and carrying bag and a black backpack. He is attired in a black long-sleeved shirt and white face mask.

The footage was taken at JR Yugawara Station between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. on April 21, 2015. That same morning, firefighters extinguishing a blaze at the home of Mie Hirai, who was confined to a wheelchair, discovered her dead atop a bed with a knife plunged into her forehead.

It was later determined that the fire was intentionally started in the bedroom of the home, which is located near the station. One window of the residence was found to be smashed.

In a separate case, an elderly man was assaulted by a man wielding a steel pipe at just after midnight that same day.

Police believe that the person detailed in the information sheet is responsible for both crimes.

Police made a similar request to the public last year at this time. Persons with information on this case are advised to call the Odawara Police Station at 0465-32-0110.