Matsuda Yukinori
Death sentence upheld for man over murders of 2 in Kumamoto
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
FUKUOKA — The Fukuoka High Court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence handed down on a 34-year-old man for killing two people in October 2003 and robbing them of cash and valuables.
The defense counsel for Yukinori Matsuda, 34, argued in appeal court hearings that the defendant deserves separate murder and theft charges but the high court acknowledged the charge of murder for robbery, saying Matsuda's admitting during police investigations to having an intent to commit robbery was credible. The ruling said Matsuda killed Keiko Kinoshita, 54, and her housemate Takao Miura, also 54, at Kinoshita's residence in Uki, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Oct 16, 2003, by stabbing them in the chest with a kitchen knife and stole around 80,000 yen in cash, a wrist watch and other items. (Kyodo News)
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