Man Stabs Ex-Girlfriend, Kills Her Current Beau, Later Dies In A Fire At His Apartment

A 34-year-old man reportedly attacked his former girlfriend and stabbed the victim's 54-year-old current boyfriend to death in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, Japan on Tuesday night, Jan. 25. Bizarrely, just 30 minutes after committing the crime, the man suspiciously died in a supposedly accidental fire at his own apartment located some 10 kilometers away from the crime scene.

On late Tuesday, police officers immediately rushed to the crime scene in Kuwana after they received a call from a resident at around 10:30 p.m. reporting that screams could be heard in the neighborhood, Japan Today reported.

After law enforcement responded to the scene, they found a 54-year-old man, identified as Nobuyuki Ito, a company employee, and his 43-year-old girlfriend bloody and collapsed on the road. Ito was found to be unresponsive and reportedly had multiple knife wounds to his head. The woman, who was profusely bleeding from deep gashes to her back and chest, was found lying just a short distance away from Ito.

The officers rushed both the victims to a nearby hospital for immediate treatment. However, Ito succumbed to his wounds and died about an hour later. Meanwhile, Ito’s girlfriend underwent treatment and remains in critical condition in the hospital as of Wednesday, Jan. 26. When the authorities subsequently questioned her regarding the attack after she regained consciousness, the woman told the officers that they were assaulted by her former boyfriend.

Meanwhile, the cops found that a fire was reported at the suspect's apartment at around 11 p.m on Tuesday, Jan. 25, barely 30 minutes after Ito and his girlfriend were allegedly attacked by him. The authorities responded to the scene and managed to extinguish the blaze, only to discover a charred body, believed to be the suspect, in the burnt ruins of the apartment. The suspect’s apartment is located in Yokkaichi City, about 10 kilometers away from where the stabbing occurred.

According to the officers, Ito and his girlfriend had consulted them about the man stalking her on five different occasions since Nov. 2021. Later, on Jan. 14, 2022, the couple filed a formal complaint against him. The suspect was subsequently issued a restraining order.

It was later found out that Ito and the suspect were former work colleagues as well.