Kanagawa police arrested a 19-year-old man, the victim’s ex-boyfriend, on Thursday (11) on suspicion of murdering a 17-year-old high school student. The young woman’s body was located on the bank of the Sagami River, in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, after she was reported missing by her family the night before.
The victim, identified as Yura Sato, resident of Zama, left home at around 6:30 pm on Wednesday (10) saying he was going to meet an acquaintance. She did not return and the family called the police. Shortly after 2am on Thursday morning, firefighters received an emergency call reporting an unconscious minor in cardiac arrest on the river bank.
Agents located Sato’s body at the scene and took her to the hospital, where her death was confirmed. According to investigations, the young woman was killed by strangulation on Wednesday night, around 9:50 pm, in a vacant lot in the Shimoguro neighborhood, in the southern region of Sagamihara.
The suspect, who presents himself as a self-employed painter and lives in Sagamihara, was the victim’s ex-boyfriend. He was arrested this Thursday on murder charges. Sources close to the investigation indicate that the young man admitted the facts. The police do not record previous consultations about relationship problems.
The case drew attention due to the speed of police action. In the few hours between the disappearance, the discovery of the body and the arrest, investigators cross-referenced information about the victim’s contact with the person he knew that night. The vacant land and proximity to the river made it easier to initially hide the body.
Cases of violence between young people known or ex-partners continue to be monitored by Japanese authorities, who are reinforcing campaigns to prevent abusive relationships in schools. In Kanagawa, the Sagamihara region and surrounding areas have a history of isolated incidents, which increases local commotion over this crime.
The investigation now seeks to clarify the exact motivation for the crime and whether there was prior planning or discussion. Experts analyze the murder site and the river to collect additional evidence. The victim’s family has not yet spoken publicly.
