2 Komae Robbery-Murder Suspects Indicted

Tokyo, March 16 (Jiji Press)--Japanese prosecutors indicted two suspects in a high-profile robbery and murder case in Komae, a Tokyo suburb, on Thursday.

The Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office charged Hiroyuki Nomura, 52, and Rikuto Nagata, 21, with home invasion and robbery resulting in death.

The case is part of a series of robberies across Japan committed by a crime ring whose ringleaders are believed to have scouted perpetrators through social media posts.

Among other suspects, a 19-year-old university student was sent to a family court. A 34-year-old judo therapist, who was arrested on suspicion of assisting the crime, was released as prosecutors postponed deciding whether to indict him.

According to the indictment, Nomura and Nagata tied 90-year-old Kinuyo Oshio up in the house on Jan. 19, fatally assaulted her and stole a luxury watch and three other items worth 590,000 yen in total.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]