Elderly ‘bear attack’ victim was actually killed by son

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An elderly man who was believed to be killed by a bear was actually stabbed to death by his son, Japanese police say.

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Fujiyoshi Shindo, 93, was found in a bedroom by his wife, collapsed and bleeding from multiple wounds in their Daisen, Akita Prefecture home on Monday afternoon, according to local media.

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He was taken to hospital but was confirmed dead due to blood loss, Kyodo News reported.

Their son, Fujiyuki Shindo, 51, who lived with his parents, initially told police that nothing unusual had occurred at the home at the time of the alleged attack.

Authorities originally believed he was fatally mauled during a bear attack, even sending out a warning mail to residents in the area.

Bear sightings are increasingly common in the northern part of the country where shrinking farmland and an aging population have allowed bears to encroach into areas populated by humans, local outlets reported.

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Between March 2023 and March 2024, 219 people were attacked by bears, resulting in six deaths, Japan’s Environment Ministry said, per BBC News.

However, investigators soon concluded that the wounds were more consistent with injuries from a knife.

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Several knives were seized from the home to try to identify the murder weapon.

In a twist, the man’s son was arrested on Wednesday for the alleged murder of his father.

He is believed to have used a knife to slash his father’s face and back, the outlet said.

No motive has been given as the investigation continues.

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