The police have identified all nine of the dismembered bodies found in an apartment in Kanagawa Prefecture late last month, including three high school girls, the youngest of whom was 15, officials said Friday, sending shock waves through the victims' families and friends.
The bodies were found in the apartment of 27-year-old Takahiro Shiraishi, who was arrested on Oct. 31 and has since confessed to killing all nine. Investigators had been trying to identify the bodies through DNA analysis and other means.
According to the officials and investigative sources, the victims include Kureha Ishihara, a 15-year-old high school student from Ora, Gunma Prefecture, and two 17-year-old high schoolers from the cities of Saitama and Fukushima — Natsumi Kubo and Akari Suda.