Floating Body May Be Linked to Mother-Daughter Murder Case

Jun 03, 2026 | News On Japan

HYOGO - A possible new development emerged in the murder of a mother and daughter in Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture, when a woman passing by a river in the city discovered a man floating face-up in the water at around 10:30 a.m. on June 3rd and alerted authorities.

A witness described the scene, saying, "The sirens were really loud, so I came to see what was happening, and there were a lot of police officers, maybe about 20. Firefighters were there too. He was floating face up. His arm was bent and caught on something."

The body was that of an adult male, and police believe several days had passed since his death. His age and identity have not yet been confirmed.

The location where the body was found on June 3rd is about 15 kilometers from Shingu, Tatsuno, where Sumie Tanaka and her daughter Chihiro were killed on May 19th.

Police have placed Kenji Oyama, 42, on a nationwide wanted list on suspicion of murdering Chihiro.

Security camera footage near the scene on the day the incident came to light showed a person believed to be Oyama walking while wearing a black cap.

About 30 minutes later, a person of similar build appeared at the same location, but the color of the upper garment had changed. The black trousers with a white line, however, appeared to be the same.

The male body found on June 3rd was wearing a grayish T-shirt and black trousers with a white line, clothing that police say resembles the outfit and characteristics of Oyama while he was on the run.

Police are carefully investigating the case, including the possibility that the body may be Oyama.

Source: FNN

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