In a chilling incident from December 2022 in Ina City, Nagano, a 28-year-old man, Ryota Hashizume, was arrested for the murder and robbery of an elderly woman. The victim, 85-year-old Takunuyo Hara, had her passbook and other belongings taken.
Prior to this heinous crime, Hashizume had embezzled approximately 12 million yen from his former workplace. This startling revelation came to light as authorities were already seeking repayment for the embezzled funds.
The arrest unfolded as Hashizume, his face concealed, boarded a police vehicle on the 10th. He is accused of killing Hara and attempting to transfer 3.5 million yen from her account to his own just a day before her body was discovered. The suspect had posed as Hara’s grandson when dealing with financial institutions.
The motive behind Hashizume’s desperate need for money is yet to be fully understood.
A new layer of complexity was added to the case as it was revealed that, upon resigning from his previous job, Hashizume had embezzled the substantial sum of 12 million yen from the sales revenue. The former employer had been pursuing repayment, shedding light on a troubling history.
The police, having confirmed the embezzlement, are investigating any potential connections between this financial dispute and the subsequent murder-robbery. The trial for the initial charges has already commenced.
Related: Man frauds multiple women, accumulating over 100 million yen
