Tokyo: Man, 69, accused of murdering woman, 28, with stimulant drugs

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 69-year-old male real estate executive for allegedly supplying a fatal dose of stimulant drugs to a woman at his residence in Shibuya Ward last year, reports NHK (Mar. 6).

On July 22, Nobuaki Ishihara allegedly provided Yuri Igarashi, 28, with a large quantity of kakuseizai, or stimulant drugs, at the residence, located in the Shinsencho area.

The results of an autopsy revealed that Igashi had been provided a lethal dose of stimulant drugs. Police believe that the suspect mixed the drugs into an alcoholic drink consumed by Igarashi.

Ishihara, who was accused of murder on Wednesday, denies the allegations. “It is not a fact that stimulant drugs were mixed [into a drink],” the suspect was quoted by police.

Club requiring a membership

Prior to his arrest, Ishihara said during voluntary questioning that he became acquainted with the victim, who lives in Itabashi Ward, through a club that requires a membership in 2016.

According to police, an examination of security camera footage shows the suspect and Igarashi entering the residence around noon on the day of the incident.

Police also found that Igarashi sent a message on the day of the incident via the smartphone application Line to an acquaintance in which she said she “had refused to take drugs as advised by a man but carelessly consumed [Japanese] sake mixed with [drugs].”

The following morning, Ishihara found Igarashi “not moving.” After he summoned emergency services to the residence, Igarashi was confirmed dead.

Ishihara presides over several companies that buy and sell real estate. A man employed at a building in the suspect’s possession in the Minami Aoyama area of Minato Ward told NHK that the suspect was always “smartly dressed” and presented a “gentlemanly” appearance.

“I have seen him many times since July,” the employee said. “[The emergence of the incident] surprised me since I never suspected anything.”

A neighbor of Ishihara tells NHK that they saw a lot of fancy cars and young women regularly coming and going at his residence. The suspect never interacted with other persons, the neighbor said.

Never returned home

Igarashi was married and living in Itabashi Ward. In an interview with NHK, her husband said that she told him on the morning of the incident that she was leaving for a “work-related matter and would return in the evening.”

Igarashi never returned home. The following morning, police contacted her husband, saying “a corpse has been found.”

At one point, Igarashi worked as a nail artist. However, she chose to become a housewife and got married two years ago. “My wife loved dogs. She was a kind woman who ironed my shirts every morning,” he said.” Now, my head is a mess and I cannot sort anything out. I will never forgive the culprit.”