Suspected murder-suicide of woman and sons linked to another death

A 27-year-old man found dead in an apartment in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward on Monday is believed to have been in a relationship with a woman who died in an apparent murder-suicide three days earlier, according to investigative sources.

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the death of Shintaro Nakakubo, a company employee, who was living in the apartment leased under the name of Yuka Nomura, 36. Nomura and her three sons — who were ages 9, 11 and 16 — were found unconscious in their house in the city of Nishitokyo, western Tokyo, on Dec. 19 and later confirmed dead.

Police found the mother and sons after her husband called the police on the same day, saying that as he returned home he found the door of his house locked with a chain from inside and was hearing noises from within.

Police believe a murder-suicide had taken place as they found no signs of intrusion.

The mother and the eldest son were found bleeding in a room on the second floor.

A hatchet and a knife were nearby. The two other sons were found in an adjacent room with strangulation marks.

As part of the investigation for the Nishitokyo case, police searched the Nerima apartment on Monday and discovered Nakakubo’s decaying body inside a closet.

He had suffered stab wounds to his thigh and more than a dozen other parts of his body, police said.

The closet had been sealed up and a knife was recovered from the apartment’s living room.

Investigators believe Nakakubo had been living alone in the apartment, which Nomura began renting in March, and that the two were romantically involved.

They believe Nakakubo was killed before the incident at Nomura’s house.

Security camera footage last captured Nakakubo returning to the apartment on Dec. 14. Nomura was recorded entering and leaving the building on Dec. 15 and 16, the sources said.

Nakakubo’s mobile phone was later found inside Nomura’s car. Police confirmed that messages were repeatedly sent from his phone to his workplace earlier this month stating that he was unwell and would be absent. A similar message was sent on Dec. 16.

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