TOKYO (TR) – Investigative sources with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police revealed have that a woman whose body was found in suitcase floating in a canal in Shinagawa Ward on Monday died up to a week ago, reports TBS News (June 28).
The results of an autopsy conducted on the body, believed to be that of a woman aged between 30 and 50, indicated that she died between four and seven days before she was found, police said on Tuesday.
At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Monday, the body was found inside a suitcase floating in front of the Dai-ichi Hotel Tokyo Seafort, approximately 200 meters from Tennozu Isle Station on the Tokyo Monorail. The suitcase measured 70 centimeters in length and was wrapped in plastic string.
In addition to the body, police also found stones in the suitcase, according the Yomiuri Shimbun (June 29). Police suspect that the stones were used as ballast in an attempt to sink the bag beneath the surface.
The corpse was clothed in a pink tank top and blue shorts. No external wounds were found on the body.
A passenger boat left a dock near the site of the discovery at 11:00 a.m. When it returned a few hours later, a passenger saw the suitcase floating nearby. Police were then alerted.