In a heartbreaking and chilling case out of Tempe, Arizona, Yui Inoue, 44, was convicted of first-degree murder, child abuse, and disorderly conduct for the brutal killings of her two young children.
Inoue was found guilty of killing her 9-year-old daughter, Mia Inoue, and 7-year-old son, Kai Inoue, using a meat cleaver in a horrific act of revenge against her estranged husband.
On May 15, 2021, after a heated argument over financial issues related to their ongoing divorce, Inoue’s husband left the home, calling the police to report the situation.
The officers who initially responded found minimal damage and saw the children asleep, leaving the scene.
However, things took a tragic turn later that day when Inoue, in a distressed state, drove to the Tempe Police Department to report disturbing thoughts.
Inoue claimed that voices told her to kill her children. She returned to the apartment, and when police arrived, they found a gruesome scene. The children were dead, their bodies partially concealed under blankets and boxes.
Police said the victims had multiple cuts, including defensive wounds, consistent with a violent and targeted attack.
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The presence of a meat cleaver in Inoue’s possession further confirmed the method of the murders.
Prosecutors argued that Inoue had carefully planned the killings, with intent to harm her children as an act of vengeance against her husband.
Her defense team, however, contested the charges, claiming that Inoue lacked the physical strength to commit the crime. They also highlighted the absence of eyewitnesses.
Authorities revealed that prior to the murders, Inoue had been investigated for alleged neglect by the Arizona Department of Child Services.
Though no evidence was found to remove the children from her care, the investigation remained open when the tragic deaths occurred.
