The Himeji Branch of the Kobe District Court sentenced a 53-year-old uncle to 30 years in prison after he was charged with murder and arson for setting his home on fire in Inami Town, Hyogo Prefecture, killing his elementary school brother three years ago. Ta.
In November 2021, the defendant Tomyo Matsuo (53), who has no fixed address and is unemployed, doused his home in Inami-cho, Hyogo Prefecture with gasoline and set it on fire, killing Yu Matsuo, a 6th grade elementary school student, who is the child of his sister and his wife, who were living with him. He was charged with murder and arson for killing the brothers Jo (12 years old at the time) and Maki (7 years old at the time), who were in the first grade of elementary school.
At trial, the prosecution sought the death penalty, but the defense argued that the defendant should not be sentenced to death, citing ``the defendant has a mild intellectual disability.''
In the judgment on the 15th, Presiding Judge Hiroyuki Sato of the Himeji Branch of the Kobe District Court said, ``While completely isolated in his home, the defendant harbored resentment and hatred towards his sister and her husband, and by depriving them of their precious presence, "He wanted to make people understand the suffering, and it must be said that he disrespected life, and his motives were selfish and malicious."
On the other hand, ``It is natural for the defendant to hold a grudge against the defendant's younger sister and her husband who ignored them, and we must be mindful of the background.Also, the defendant has a mild intellectual disability.'' ``His poor problem-solving ability should also be taken into consideration,'' and the judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison.
In closing, the presiding judge said to the defendant, ``You must deeply reflect on the fact that you took life lightly.Since it is a fixed-term sentence, I hope that you live your life with the feeling of apologizing to your brother.'' Called.