The body of a suspected double-murderer was discovered in a river after he admitted to killing a mother and her daughter. Kenji Oyama, aged 42, allegedly fatally stabbed his neighbors in Japan but was released by police despite confessing to the crime. Authorities now suspect Oyama of being involved in the murder of Sumie Tanaka, 74, and her 52-year-old daughter, Chihiro, although the bodies were not found until six days after the incident.
Days before the victims were found, Oyama informed the police about the killing, mentioning the location of the crime scene. However, due to the lack of evidence such as a weapon or blood-stained clothing, the confession was not reported to homicide detectives. Police deemed the confession unreliable and released Oyama. Shortly after, a neighbor reported seeing a man resembling Oyama near the victims’ residence, but he had vanished by the time police arrived.
A manhunt was initiated on May 24 to locate Oyama, culminating in his lifeless body being discovered in Nakagawa river weeks later. Authorities recovered blood-stained garments at his father’s unoccupied residence. Despite an extensive search involving numerous officers, Oyama’s body was only found recently in a river south of the crime scene. An autopsy indicated minor hand injuries and signs of malnourishment, though the exact cause of death could not be determined due to the state of decomposition.
