News
Woman held over marriage fraud questioned over 2 suspicious deaths
SAITAMA -- Saitama police are questioning a woman, currently under arrest for marriage fraud, over two suspicious deaths earlier this year.
A toxicology report showed that two dead men had been sedated, with one allegedly made to look like a suicide. Police are continuing to question the woman, a 34-year-old resident of Tokyo's Toshima Ward.
The first incident occurred on May 15, when the body of an 80-year-old man was found following a fire at his house in Noda, Chiba Prefecture. The woman had gained access to his house as a home helper, and admitted that she had used the man's cash card to make a withdrawal on the day of the fire. An autopsy found traces of a sedative on the man, and police are continuing to investigate.
The second death occurred on Aug. 6, when a passerby found the body of a 41-year-old man inside a rental car parked in a parking lot in Fujimi, Saitama Prefecture. A charcoal burner was found inside, and the death appeared to be suicide.
However, sedative was found again during an autopsy. In addition, the car key was never found, and friends and family said he had no reason to commit suicide, leading police to suspect foul play.
The day before, the man wrote on his blog that he was going on a two-night trip with a potential spouse after meeting her online, and that she wanted him to lend her 5 million yen for school fees. The woman told police that she did meet him in the parking lot that night.
Police are continuing to investigate.
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(Mainichi Japan) October 27, 2009












