KAGOSHIMA (TR) – Kagoshima Prefectural Police have established a 50-officer murder investigation headquarters following the death of a 49-year-old female restaurant owner who was found suffocated in her home last month, reports Nippon News Network (Aug. 24).
The victim has been identified as Satsuki Osumi, a restaurant operator residing in Kanoya City.
According to police, Osumi’s family members visited her residence on the night of July 28 after they were unable to contact her. Upon entering the home, they discovered Osumi collapsed on the floor. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A subsequent autopsy determined her cause of death to be asphyxiation. After reviewing security camera footage from the surrounding area, authorities officially classified the case as a homicide and launched a formal task force on Monday.
Citing the ongoing investigation, police have declined to disclose specific details about the condition of the body, including whether Osumi suffered external trauma such as stab wounds or if her clothing was in disarray.
It has also emerged that Osumi had consulted police on multiple occasions three years ago regarding an unspecified dispute. Authorities have refused to reveal the nature of the trouble or the identity of the other party involved.
While police maintain that their response to Osumi’s prior consultations was “appropriate,” investigators are now probing whether the past dispute is connected to her murder.
