Episode 27:
Why Did She Kill the Pretty Man..?

In 2005, a woman named Yuko Suzuki stopped answering her phone. A month later, her mother entered her apartment and found her daughter's body covered by a blanket near the entrance.

Suzuki had been stabbed repeatedly and left there for weeks.

A Relationship That Turned Toxic

Suzuki worked at an onabe bar, where women dressed as men entertained female customers. Years earlier, she had met Yuka Maeda, a troubled woman struggling with debt, addiction, and emotional instability.

The two quickly became a couple and eventually moved in together. But over time, their relationship became increasingly toxic, fueled by jealousy, financial dependence, and constant conflict.

Love Or Dependence?

Suzuki repeatedly supported Maeda through financial and personal crises. Yet Maeda continued seeing other people, borrowing money, and relying on others to survive.

Things finally collapsed when Suzuki discovered Maeda's infidelity and confronted her. The relationship had reached a breaking point.

Suspicious

After the murder, Maeda didn't immediately disappear into hiding. Instead, she used Suzuki's credit cards, bought luxury goods, opened accounts under Suzuki's name, and spent months living off the victim's money.

Even after she was eventually arrested, she claimed she still loved Suzuki and carried her photograph everywhere. That contradiction has fueled debate ever since.

Final Thoughts

Maeda remained a fugitive for 753 days before finally being recognized and arrested. She later said she missed Suzuki every day.

But many people have questioned whether the relationship was ever really about love at all. Some believe the murder was driven by jealousy. Others believe it was ultimately about money.

Was Suzuki the person Maeda loved most? Or simply the person she depended on most?