TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have revealed that a 62-year-old woman found dead under the floor of her residence in Suginami Ward likely died due to loss of blood or suffocation, reports Nippon News Network (Apr. 10).
According to the results of an autopsy, Mieko Ueda likely died due to loss of blood from a stab wound or suffocation from being strangled around the neck with her nose and mouth blocked.
On Sunday, police entering the residence, located in the Shimizu area, found the body of Ueda, heavily decayed and with the hands, feet and face wrapped in tape, beneath the floorboards of the kitchen.
The body had a stab wound in the left chest. Police suspect that she had been dead for at least three months. At the time of arrival of the police, the windows and front door were locked.
Earlier that same day, relatives Ueda contacted police after not being able to contact her since January 3. On February 19, relatives first contacted police about the whereabouts of Ueda. However, police did not check under the floor, according to Nippon News Network (Apr. 10).
Police are investigating the case as murder.
