Man accused by ’06, ’07 Hyogo Prefection Attacos of Primary School

The prosecutors accused a 46 -year -old man for murder positions and attempted murder in relation to two separate knife attacks in the Hyogo prefecture that took place in 2006 and 2007 who involved two primary girls.

The Kobe Public Prosecutor’s Office revealed that Kunihiko Katsuta, which is already complying with a prison sentence for the murder of another girl, has been accused of the 2007 murder of a second -grade girl in the city of Kakogow, Hyogo Prefecture.

Katsuta also faces positions of murder attempt for a 2006 attack against a fourth grade girl in the city of Tatsuno, also in the Prefecture of Hyogo, which left her seriously injured.

Prosecutors claim that on October 16, 2007, Katsuta fatally stabbed the second -grade girl several times in the abdomen near her home. A year earlier, on September 28, 2006, he allegedly attacked the fourth grade student in a street in Tatsuno while returning home of a Cram school, stabbing it several times in the abdomen and chest.

Both cases remained unsolved for years due to the lack of physical evidence, including the weapon used. The researchers began to connect the attacks while investigating similar cases, eventually identifying Katsuta as a suspect.

During the voluntary questions, Katsuta admitted their participation, and the authorities determined their statements aligned with the details of the cases.

The Hyogo Prefecture Police arrested Katsuta last November for Tatsuno’s attack and reorganized him for the murder of Kakogowa shortly after. According to sources close to the investigation, Katsuta remained silent after his arrest.

The prosecutor began a three -month psychiatric evaluation in December to evaluate the mental state of Katsuta, which concluded on Friday. He was considered mentally competent, which led to his accusation.

Translated by Japan Times