Japanese man rented crime scene apartment for 26 years — case solved with DNA technology

After his wife was murdered in 1999, Satoru Takaba continued renting the apartment where the crime occurred for 26 years to preserve potential evidence, and in 2025 modern DNA analysis helped authorities identify a suspect.

At the time, 32-year-old Namiko Takaba was found dead in her home, but the investigation failed to produce results for years. Her husband kept the apartment unchanged and continued paying rent, spending around 22 million yen in total.

Following a renewed forensic analysis in 2025, investigators identified a woman connected to the man, who allegedly committed the crime due to personal motives. The case highlights how technological advances can help solve long-unsolved crimes.