Yokohama Court Sentences Two Men to Prison in Tama River Suitcase Murder Case

The Yokohama District Court delivered sentences to two men on Friday in connection with the 2023 murder of a 46-year-old man. The victim's body was discovered in a suitcase, which had been discarded in the Tama River in Kawasaki.

Presiding Judge Takao Sato handed down a 13-year prison sentence to Masahiro Nishitaka, aged 54, and a 15-year sentence to Shuhei Iwaki, who is 40 years old. The judge characterized the case as "highly malicious," emphasizing the defendants' collaborative planning and preparation for the killing and disposal of the body.

Judge Sato acknowledged that the crime originated from a dispute between the victim, Tadayuki Hara, and Mai Nishitaka, who is the 34-year-old daughter of Masahiro Nishitaka. While finding both men guilty of participating in the crime, the judge stated that they did not hold a leading role.

Both defendants had previously admitted to the murder charges. The prosecution had requested sentences of 16 years for Masahiro Nishitaka and 18 years for Iwaki. The defense argued that Mai Nishitaka, who was in a relationship with Iwaki at the time, had orchestrated the crime and manipulated the two men.

The indictment revealed that the two men had conspired to drug Hara with a drink containing sleeping pills at an apartment in Tokyo's Ota Ward in December 2023. After incapacitating him, they strangled him, placed his body in a suitcase, and disposed of it in the Tama River after transporting it by car.