15-Year-Old Arrested For Murder Makes A Chilling Confession About His Victim
On May 12, police were called by a passerby who found an injured woman lying in the street. She was unconscious and bleeding from wounds to her back and her head.
The call was made in Chiba, Japan at around 5:10 p.m after what appeared to be a random stabbing in Wakaba Ward. The woman, 84-year-old Takahashi Yayoi, died approximately 90 minutes after she was transported to a hospital for treatment.
The suspect, a 15-year-old boy who lives near the crime scene, was spotted on surveillance camera footage taken near the place where Takahashi was stabbed. Though he was initially detained for voluntary questioning, the teen has now been arrested. According to Japanese news outlet Kyoto News, the suspect and the victim were reportedly strangers.
New details about the suspect and his motives have now been released to the public. According to police, the suspect has a history of delinquent behavior, including trouble with classmates, and a complicated home life, having run away once.
He told police that he committed murder as a way to escape his living situation. It didn’t matter to him who he killed; he chose Takahashi at random. After spotting her walking near the crime scene, he decided to follow her and kill her.
I targeted someone weaker than me so I could go to a juvenile detention center.
— Suspect
“I can’t help but feel sorry for her,” said a man who was acquainted with Takahashi. “Her husband must be going through a difficult time. I’m really angry.” On May 13, after news of the murder broke, people began leaving flowers and prayers at the crime scene to honor Takahashi Yayoi.
