Man indicted over murder of 11-year-old stepson in Kyoto

KYOTO — A man was indicted Thursday on suspicion of murdering his 11-year-old stepson and abandoning his body in a wooded area in Kyoto Prefecture.

Yuki Adachi, 37, was quoted by investigators before his arrest in April as saying he had killed the stepson because he was angry with the boy for his words and behavior and that the boy had told him he did not consider him his father.

Adachi became the stepfather of the boy after marrying his mother.

After the boy was reported missing and a search began on March 23, his school backpack was found on March 29, followed by his sneakers on April 12 and his body the following day, all in separate locations.

Adachi told the prefectural police that he moved the body at least four times and separately discarded the backpack and sneakers at the locations where they were later found, investigative sources said.

The local police arrested Adachi on April 16 on suspicion of abandoning the body in Nantan in the prefecture and served him a fresh arrest warrant on May 6 on suspicion of murder.

© KYODO