TOCHIGI, May 18, 2026 (News On Japan) - Police investigating the robbery-murder of a woman in Tochigi Prefecture, in which four teenage boys have already been arrested, detained a married couple in their 20s on May 17th on suspicion of acting as ringleaders in the attack.
Eiko Toyama, 69, was found murdered at her home in Kamimikawa, Tochigi Prefecture, on May 14th after being stabbed more than 20 times. Police have already arrested four 16-year-old male high school students on suspicion of robbery and murder.
In the early hours of May 17th, police arrested 28-year-old Kaito Takemae of Yokohama at Terminal 3 of Haneda Airport. Investigators believe Takemae had already completed departure procedures and was attempting to flee overseas.
Later around noon the same day, 25-year-old Miyu Takemae, also believed to have acted as a ringleader, was taken into custody at a business hotel in Yokohama before being formally arrested.
Police said the two are married and are believed to have been together at a separate location within Tochigi Prefecture during the attack, where they allegedly issued instructions to the teenage suspects carrying out the crime.
The case entered its fourth day on May 17th, with police having already arrested the four teenage suspects along with the alleged ringleaders. Authorities said the rapid succession of arrests was made possible through intensive questioning of the suspects and extensive analysis of security camera footage.
All four alleged perpetrators are 16 years old. Investigators noted that some of them drove vehicles despite being below the legal driving age, suggesting the crime may have been poorly organized to the extent that even a dedicated getaway driver could not be arranged.
Police said some of the suspects told investigators that there were individuals among the group they had "met for the first time," while others have denied the allegations altogether. Authorities also said the relationship between a teenage suspect from Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, arrested on May 16th, and the other three boys remains unclear.
Investigators are also examining a possible connection to a burglary at the home of Toyama's second son in April. Police believe the method of entry resembled that used in the recent robbery-murder, and documents containing information about the family home were reportedly stolen during the earlier break-in.
A neighbor of the couple described them as having "a rough and troublesome image."
Police suspect that multiple people may have been involved in orchestrating the crime and are continuing efforts to uncover the full picture behind the attack.
Source: TBS
