The lifeless body of an alleged double-murderer was discovered floating in a river after he admitted to killing a mother and her daughter. Kenji Oyama, 42, confessed to fatally stabbing his neighbors in Japan, but authorities failed to pass on this crucial information to homicide detectives, allowing Oyama to be released. It is now believed that Oyama was the main suspect in the murders of Sumie Tanaka, 74, and her 52-year-old daughter, Chihiro, which took place in Tatsuno, though their bodies were only found six days later.
Just days before the victims were found, Oyama informed police about the killings but provided no further details. Despite his confession, the lack of physical evidence led authorities to deem his claim unreliable, releasing him. However, a critical mistake occurred when a neighbor reported seeing Oyama near the victims’ home, prompting a manhunt that lasted for weeks before his lifeless body was eventually located in Nakagawa river, along with blood-stained clothing found at his father’s empty residence.
Following an autopsy, it was revealed that Oyama had minor hand injuries and showed signs of malnutrition. The advanced state of decomposition of the body made it impossible to determine the exact cause of death. Despite an extensive search involving hundreds of officers, Oyama’s body was only spotted floating in the river, approximately 13 km away from the crime scene.