Plötzlicher Tod eines wohlhabenden Mannes aus „Kishu Don Juan“: Bezirksgericht Wakayama spricht Ex-Frau frei, es bestehen weiterhin berechtigte Zweifel

In the case of the sudden death of wealthy businessman Yukosuke Nozaki (77) from Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, who was referred to as “Kishu Don Juan,” the Wakayama District Court acquitted his ex-wife, Saki Sudo (28), who had been charged with murder and other crimes. The following is a summary of the court’s reasoning.

Charges

On May 24, 2018, between 4:50 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., at Nozaki’s residence in Tanabe, the defendant is accused of intentionally administering a lethal dose of methamphetamine to Nozaki, causing his death from methamphetamine poisoning between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. that evening.

Undisputed Facts

Nozaki was a wealthy businessman who owned several companies, including an alcohol distribution company, in Tanabe. The defendant met Nozaki in December 2017 and married him in February 2018. Though they continued living in Tokyo, she moved into Nozaki’s residence in May of that year.

In April 2018, the defendant ordered methamphetamine through an online bulletin board and received a package containing methamphetamine from a drug dealer near Nozaki’s home.

On the evening of the incident, around 10:30 p.m., the defendant informed the housekeeper that Nozaki was motionless on the sofa in the second-floor bedroom and called 119. Emergency responders confirmed Nozaki’s death. According to medical examiners, the cause of death was acute methamphetamine poisoning due to an overdose, with at least 1.8 grams of the drug consumed.

Prosecution’s Argument

The prosecution argued that based on the estimated time of death, the methamphetamine was likely administered between 4:50 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. During this period, the defendant was alone with Nozaki at the house and went upstairs to the second floor at least eight times, which was significantly more than the three times she had gone upstairs on average in the month prior to the incident. If the defendant were the perpetrator, she would have a reasonable motive to go upstairs repeatedly to administer the methamphetamine, observe Nozaki’s condition, and dispose of evidence. If she were not the perpetrator, her actions would seem unnatural.

The defendant was said to have married Nozaki for his monthly allowance of one million yen and his estate. However, after March 2018, Nozaki reportedly expressed a desire for a divorce, which could have provided a motive for the defendant to kill him before the divorce took place.

Before the incident, the defendant had searched the internet for terms like “perfect crime” and “methamphetamine overdose,” and after the event, she searched for “murder statute of limitations” and asked her friends not to cooperate with the investigation.

Nozaki had no history of using methamphetamine, and there was no evidence to suggest he had ever been involved with drugs. He also took care of his health, which made it unlikely he had used methamphetamine previously. Based on Nozaki’s previous behavior, the prosecution ruled out the possibility of an accident or suicide.

Court’s Judgment

The court concluded that while it was possible for the defendant to have killed Nozaki by administering methamphetamine, it could not be definitively proven that the substance given to Nozaki in April was methamphetamine. The court also noted that the defendant’s movements between the first and second floors did not provide a clear picture of Nozaki’s condition. Based on these uncertainties and the lack of concrete evidence, the court could not conclusively conclude that the defendant had caused Nozaki’s death. The court also noted that while third-party homicide and suicide were ruled out, an accidental death could not be completely excluded. Ultimately, the court found that there remained reasonable doubt as to whether the defendant was responsible for Nozaki’s death.

Was the Defendant Capable of Committing the Crime?

Although methamphetamine has a bitter taste, it was possible for the defendant to have administered it to Nozaki in a way that could have been concealed in his beer, which he drank with dinner. Given the defendant was present during dinner, this scenario was plausible.

The Defendant’s Actions on the Day of the Incident

The court could not determine what the defendant was doing when she went upstairs, and it could not be ruled out that she had gone upstairs for reasons unrelated to the crime. During the time she was moving between the first and second floors, Nozaki did not show symptoms of poisoning, which could mean the defendant did not notice anything unusual. Even if the defendant’s statement that she did not notice any change was a lie, it did not automatically make her the perpetrator.

Motive

If Nozaki died, the defendant stood to inherit his substantial estate, including a fortune in the billions of yen. The defendant acknowledged that she married Nozaki for financial reasons, which could provide a motive for murder. However, Nozaki’s reported desire to divorce her was viewed as a potential strategy to pressure the defendant into following his will, and the fear of divorce was not seen as a strong enough motive for murder.

Search History

The defendant’s internet searches prior to the incident appeared to be linked to her order for methamphetamine, but it could not be definitively proven that these searches were part of a plan to kill Nozaki. Post-incident searches could have been motivated by anxiety over being suspected as the murderer. However, the searches alone did not constitute strong evidence of guilt.

Defendant’s Order for Methamphetamine

The drug dealer who supplied the methamphetamine testified that the contents were real methamphetamine, though the court questioned whether the substance could be definitively identified, given the poor lighting conditions in the exchange. It was also suggested that the substance might have been something like rock sugar, as the dealer claimed.

Possibility of Suicide or Accident

Nozaki’s previous behavior and statements did not suggest he was suicidal. However, his wide social circle and connections meant it was not impossible for him to have obtained methamphetamine. While no bag of methamphetamine was found on the second floor, the drug may have been used on the first floor. Additionally, Nozaki had previously mentioned using methamphetamine during a phone call with a friend, which raised doubts about whether he had obtained it on his own or accidentally overdosed.

Conclusion

In light of all the factors examined, the court concluded that while there were suspicious circumstances surrounding the defendant’s potential involvement in the death, there was not enough evidence to conclusively link her to the murder. Even with the process of elimination, it could not be ruled out that Nozaki accidentally ingested a lethal dose of methamphetamine for the first time and died as a result.