A Tempe mother was convicted for the 2021 murders of her two children, aged nine and seven, using a meat cleaver.
On Monday, an Arizona jury found the suspect, identified as Yui Inoue, guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of child abuse, and one count of disorderly conduct. The prosecution said in closing arguments that the evidence against the defendant was overwhelming.
Tempe Mother Found Guilty of Children's Murders
On the other hand, the defense argued that there was still reasonable doubt that Inoue actually committed the murders of her two children. Both sides in the case did agree that the incident was a horrific tragedy as the kids lost their lives in a very brutal way.
Prosecutors presented a passionate argument where they claimed that Inoue killed her children using a meat cleaver in order to get revenge on her husband for their financial struggles in their upcoming divorce.
However, the defense argued that the state was not able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the Tempe mother actually committed the killings. The prosecution said that Inoue committed the murders in May 2021, when she killed her daughter Mia and son Kai, according to AZ Family.
Hours before the deaths of the two kids, there was a domestic dispute, and police arrived at a time when they were still alive. However, Inoue later went to the police station and said that there were voices that were telling her to kill her children.
When police returned to the family's home, they discovered that the two kids were dead and that they had dozens of chops and injuries on their bodies. They also found the victims covered with trash, boxes, and a mattress.
No Recollection of the Killings
Court documents showed that when Inoue went to a police station, she told police that she woke up with blood on her hands and her two children dead near the doorway of a bedroom. Prosecutor Shaylee Beasley said it was highly likely that the mother killed the children after the first police officers left their home, AZ Central reported.
Beasley added that they had overwhelming evidence that Inoue committed the murders and did so with intent. This was seen in her actions, such as gathering luggage, showering, and closing the blinds, which indicated careful planning.
Chandler Police said that the mother was also connected to an incident in March 2021 where charges for aggravated assault on an officer were submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, as per 12News.
