In Japan, man admits to stalking and murdering ex-girlfriend
In the Japanese city of Mito, 29-year-old Takumi Ouchi admitted at the first court hearing to charges of stalking and murdering his former girlfriend, 31-year-old nail technician Haruka Komatsumoto. The case is being heard by the Mito District Court with lay judges, The Japan Times reports.
Details of the charges
According to the indictment documents, Ouchi is accused of repeatedly striking Komatsumoto on the head with a hammer and stabbing her in the neck on December 31. He is also accused of staying near her apartment for several days from December 28 and secretly placing a tracking device on her car.
During the investigation, the man initially denied the charges and later refused to answer questions. In court, he admitted to the charges against him.
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The prosecution's account
Prosecutors said that Komatsumoto told Ouchi that she was ending their relationship, but he was unable to accept the decision. After the woman blocked his number, he allegedly began thinking about killing her in order to return to the time before they met and start life anew.
According to prosecutors, five days before the murder, Ouchi bought a Mickey Mouse plush toy, hid a tracker inside it and sent it to Komatsumoto's parents' home, pretending that she had won a prize in a lottery campaign. The next day, the woman brought the toy to her apartment, allowing him to determine where she lived. On the day before the attack, he bought a hammer and a cap to pose as a courier, and on the morning of the murder he placed a tracker on her car. According to the prosecution, he attacked Komatsumoto near the entrance to her apartment after making sure that she had returned home. The verdict in the case is scheduled to be announced on September 30.
