WAKAYAMA (TR) – Wakayama Prefectural Police have arrested a 68-year-old woman over a fire at her home in Iwade City earlier this year in which a female roommate died, reports NHK (Dec. 9).
In October, Yumiko Umemoto allegedly set fire to the two-story wooden home, causing it to burn down and killing a 41-year-old woman who lived inside.
Umemotoand her 17-year-old son suffered unspecified injuries, police said.
During police questioning on suspicion of murder, arson and other charges, Umemoto admitted to setting the fire, denied some of the charges. She said, “I didn’t intend to kill anyone.”
According to police, Umemoto told medical staff at the hospital where she was being treated, “I was planning to commit suicide. I set some paper on fire.”
Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the incident.
