A 64-year-old man was found dead in his home in the city of Kobe on Thursday in an apparent hanging, while his sister-in-law, 62, and her son, 27, were found lying on the floor and bleeding from their heads, the Hyogo Prefectural Police said.
The three were all confirmed dead at around 6:15 p.m., police said.
The 64-year-old man had been living there alone. Police found the three after receiving an emergency call from the resident's older brother at about 5:25 p.m. the same day, who said he could not reach his wife and his son after they visited the man to talk.
According to police, the two who were found bleeding had sustained wounds like they had been beaten. A bloodied hammer and an awl were found nearby. Also, there were signs in the house that the three had been involved in a physical fight, leading investigators to suspect that there was some kind of trouble between them.
The house is located about 600 meters southwest of Seishin-Chuo Station on the Kobe Municipal Subway.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.