Tochigi police re-arrest couple in Uwakawa-machi robbery-murder probe
NHK reports that police have re-arrested a couple suspected of directing the attack that left three family members dead or injured, as the investigation expands into international jurisdictions.
Police in Tochigi Prefecture have re-arrested a couple suspected of directing a robbery-murder in Uwakawa-machi, charging them with attempted robbery-murder. The incident involved intruders breaking into a home, resulting in the death and injury of three family members. The couple, previously arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder, deny the allegations, claiming they were unaware of the crime. This follows the earlier arrest of high school students suspected of carrying out the attack.
The re-arrest of the couple occurred on 7 June 2026, marking a significant escalation in the investigation into the home invasion. Authorities allege that the pair acted as directors of the operation, a claim they explicitly reject by stating they had no knowledge of the planned crime. The specific charge for this development is attempted robbery-murder, distinguishing it from the initial robbery-murder suspicion under which they were previously held.
This development follows the earlier detention of high school students suspected of carrying out the attack. The sequential arrests suggest a widening net of police scrutiny, moving from the alleged executioners to those suspected of orchestrating the violence. The incident in Uwakawa-machi remains under active investigation as authorities seek to establish the chain of command and responsibility for the violence that resulted in multiple casualties within the residential property.
Concurrent with the domestic arrests, the investigation has extended into international jurisdictions. A 48-year-old suspect had been issued an international warrant for leaving the country after the incident. Reports indicate that another person on a public wanted list may have moved from China to Cambodia. Japanese police have detained a man in Thailand suspected of being a key figure in a scam base in Cambodia, highlighting the transnational nature of the suspected criminal network.
The exact number of fatalities versus injuries among the three family members is not specified in the source text, only that they were "dead or injured". The specific role of the couple beyond being "suspected directors" is not confirmed by a court, and their denial of knowledge remains a claim made by the suspects rather than an established fact. Reports regarding the international movement of suspects are based on police investigations and should be treated as preliminary findings.
