A mother who used a meat cleaver to kill her children is given life
Yui Inoue (11/1980) was handed two consecutive natural life terms for killing her 7-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter in 2021, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated today.
Inoue’s ex-husband reported a domestic conflict to Tempe Police just hours before the children were killed. Prior to Inoue’s relocation to Japan, the couple, who had just been divorced, were fighting over money.
After his ex-wife, the defendant, grew violent and destroyed his computer and other gadgets with a meat cleaver, he left the flat. Both youngsters were alive and sleeping when police arrived at the flat near Mill and Southern Avenues.
At some point after officers left, Inoue went into the children’s bedroom and held each child down on the floor while she delivered dozens of blows with the meat cleaver.
Inoue put her bloody clothes in a garbage bag, partially cleaned the knife, took a shower, and packed a backpack with her passport, cash and jewelry. She threw trash, boxes, a mattress and other items over her son and daughter’s bodies before locking the front door and leaving the apartment.
Inoue then went to a Tempe police station and told an officer she heard voices telling her that she killed her kids, and she saw some blood. Officers went back to the home and found the children.
A jury convicted Inoue of all charges:
- Two counts of First-Degree Murder, a Class One Felony
- Two counts of Child Abuse, a Class Two Felony
- One count of Disorderly Conduct.
