OSAKA (TR) – Following the discovery of a human head likely belonging to a missing woman in a residence once occupied by an American male over the weekend, Hyogo Prefectural Police revealed on Monday that other body parts have been found in three mountainous areas in and Osaka and Kyoto prefectures, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (Feb. 26).
On Sunday, a torso was found in the Shimamoto area of Osaka, about 1 kilometer northwest of JR Shimamoto Station. Two arms severed at the shoulder were discovered covered in soil a few hundred meters to the north. Two legs were found 2.5 kilometers east of JR Kyoto Station, according to police.
The arms and legs appeared to have been severed with a sharp knife. No clothing and personal articles were found with the remains, police said.
The body parts are believed to belong to a 27-year-old female resident of Sanda City, Hyogo Prefecture who went missing earlier this month. On the afternoon of February 24, officers found what is believed to be the head of the woman inside a suitcase in a residence in Osaka’s Nishinari Ward that at some point was rented on a short-term basis by 26-year-old Yevgeniy Vasilievich Bayraktar.
On February 22, police arrested the American for allegedly confining the missing woman in a different apartment also rented on a short-term basis in Higashinari Ward. Upon his arrest, Bayraktar denied the allegations, telling police he had no knowledge of the matter.
Police also revealed on Monday that testing conducted inside the Higashinari residence gave a positive result for the presence of blood. There were also traces of deodorizers present.
Police contacted on February 17
According to a previous report, the missing woman is employed at a company in Osaka. On February 17, her mother consulted with police after a person at the company said that she failed to arrive at work.
The woman has been out of contact since she left her office on February 15. Security camera footage taken near Morinomiya Station at around 12:10 a.m. on February 16 shows two people who are believed to be the suspect and the missing woman.
The same two people are seen entering the Higashinari residence in security camera footage taken at the building. Two days later, the suspect was seen carrying a large bag out of the residence. The footage does not show the woman ever leaving the premises.
On February 22, Hyogo police searched the Higashinari residence, which is also a property rented for short-term stays. However, the woman was not found inside.
Police are now seeking to confirm whether the remains belong to the missing woman.
