Late to the party here - thank you for your posts @BatataPoha! Very insightful. Had some comments:
I actually agree with you on this, and wonder if the killer had broken into the Miyazawa home before the murders when they’ve not been around. Mostly because of Rei (I’ll come to this, you’ve already touched on it). We do know that all the Miyazawas went shopping before dinner that day and the house would have been empty. But I think he’d been watching them for a while and would have had other opportunities to break in too.
I’ve always wondered how or if he knew that was the kids’ bedroom. And why he broke in even though the lights were on downstairs so he knew at least one person was still up. Wouldn't it have made more sense to begin the attack when everyone was asleep? 11pm isn't that late at all, especially on the weekend. He was taking a huge risk attacking at this time imo.
However, if he had broken in previously then he knew the balcony would lead him to the kids first. If he had been watching the family, he knew that Mikio being a workaholic perhaps kept late hours and went to bed last. Maybe he waited for the kids to be put to bed. And Yasuko to go to sleep in the attic. (Whether he knew Niina would be with her, who knows.) With Mikio on the first floor, the entire family were separated and couldn't put up a coordinated fight. So he started the attack just before Mikio's bedtime to make sure the family remained separated throughout and for his plan to go off without a hitch.
Which of course it didn't. But it would explain why Rei was strangled, to keep the element of surprise. And why he attacked at around 11pm, relatively early in the night when folks would still be up and he could've been spotted, and when the lights were still on. JMO.
As an aside: I think about Yasuko a lot. Was she frozen in fear upstairs while listening to the attack on Mikio? Or was she fast asleep with Niina? Even if there was no screaming, we all agree that the noise of the grappling between two men and then one of them falling down the stairs would have been loud enough to be heard through the walls by the neighbours much less someone right above. And if she was asleep and was caught totally off guard by the attack on her, then the Iries not hearing anything in the dead of sleep would make sense too, would it not? If she was awake, then she'd have also been listening as the killer came up the steps for her and Niina. There would have been nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Absolutely bone-chilling to think about.
I believe so as well. He's just continuing his rampage of destruction. He threw some things in the toilet too (I believe Yasuko's handbag and the contents of it?) If he pooped on top of those things, it could explain why he didn't bother flushing.
Good point! But you wonder how a teenager could have such exposure to dead bodies and blood and gore. It absolutely didn't phase him at all.
2]This might not have been the killer’s first break in and entering.
I actually agree with you on this, and wonder if the killer had broken into the Miyazawa home before the murders when they’ve not been around. Mostly because of Rei (I’ll come to this, you’ve already touched on it). We do know that all the Miyazawas went shopping before dinner that day and the house would have been empty. But I think he’d been watching them for a while and would have had other opportunities to break in too.
1] The first kill (Rei) was planned and executed just as the killer wanted.
I’ve always wondered how or if he knew that was the kids’ bedroom. And why he broke in even though the lights were on downstairs so he knew at least one person was still up. Wouldn't it have made more sense to begin the attack when everyone was asleep? 11pm isn't that late at all, especially on the weekend. He was taking a huge risk attacking at this time imo.
However, if he had broken in previously then he knew the balcony would lead him to the kids first. If he had been watching the family, he knew that Mikio being a workaholic perhaps kept late hours and went to bed last. Maybe he waited for the kids to be put to bed. And Yasuko to go to sleep in the attic. (Whether he knew Niina would be with her, who knows.) With Mikio on the first floor, the entire family were separated and couldn't put up a coordinated fight. So he started the attack just before Mikio's bedtime to make sure the family remained separated throughout and for his plan to go off without a hitch.
Which of course it didn't. But it would explain why Rei was strangled, to keep the element of surprise. And why he attacked at around 11pm, relatively early in the night when folks would still be up and he could've been spotted, and when the lights were still on. JMO.
As an aside: I think about Yasuko a lot. Was she frozen in fear upstairs while listening to the attack on Mikio? Or was she fast asleep with Niina? Even if there was no screaming, we all agree that the noise of the grappling between two men and then one of them falling down the stairs would have been loud enough to be heard through the walls by the neighbours much less someone right above. And if she was asleep and was caught totally off guard by the attack on her, then the Iries not hearing anything in the dead of sleep would make sense too, would it not? If she was awake, then she'd have also been listening as the killer came up the steps for her and Niina. There would have been nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Absolutely bone-chilling to think about.
2] The document search was staged.
I believe so as well. He's just continuing his rampage of destruction. He threw some things in the toilet too (I believe Yasuko's handbag and the contents of it?) If he pooped on top of those things, it could explain why he didn't bother flushing.
5] My last one - The killer might be used to seeing blood in daily life.
Good point! But you wonder how a teenager could have such exposure to dead bodies and blood and gore. It absolutely didn't phase him at all.