LOUDENDALE, W.Va. — A Kanawha County man may have used an ax to kill his parents.
Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford says an ax was found at the murder scene by detectives investigating the Thursday deaths of Tsukasa and Claudette Kambara.
“That’s what appears to be at the time. We have recovered one and we’re in the process of working on that right now,” Rutherford said Friday during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.”
The couple’s son, Takanao Kambara, 26, has been charged with two counts of first degree murder. The three lived together at 1777 Kanawha State Forest Drive in the Loudendale community.
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Rutherford said deputies have been to a home near Kanawha State Forest before on domestic calls prior to Thursday’s double murder there.
“We have had some domestic situations at that location in the past,” Rutherford said. “We’re still working on that.”
Kambara was piling up paintings across the road from the home when a deputy arrived on the scene Thursday morning. He told the deputy there were two dead bodies in the house and they didn’t die naturally. Police found his parents dead of lacerations.
Kambara is being held in the South Central Regional Jail without bail.
Social media indicates the Kambara couple was well-known. Tsukasa is described as a local artist while his wife, Claudette, is said to have sold roses for years along Kanawha County highways.
The New Year’s Eve deaths brought to a close a deadly month in Kanawha County. Nine people were killed in 5 separate cases. Police have made arrests in all but one case. One of those victims was Charleston police officer Cassie Johnson who died two days after a Dec.1 shooting.