Zoo worker arrested for allegedly dumping wife's body in incinerator in Japan
CBS News • • world
Key Points:
- Japanese police arrested Tatsuya Suzuki on suspicion of incinerating his deceased wife Yui Suzuki's body at the zoo where he worked in Hokkaido, following the discovery of human remains in the facility's incinerator.
- Suzuki confessed to using the zoo's incinerator, intended for waste and dead animals, to burn his wife's body for several hours and made statements suggesting he killed her, prompting a potential murder charge.
- The victim had previously warned relatives that her husband threatened to "burn you until no trace of you will be left," and police were alerted after losing contact with her in late March.
- The incident delayed the reopening of Asahiyama Zoo, one of Japan's most popular zoos, which had been closed for maintenance; the zoo resumed operations with officials apologizing to visitors.
- Asahikawa City's mayor acknowledged the zoo's difficult situation but expressed hope to regain public support and focus on the animals' welfare.
