TEMPE, AZ – A Maricopa County jury convicted Yui Inoue, a 44-year-old mother, on Monday of the brutal murder of her two young children, ages 9 and 7, using a meat cleaver. The case, which took place in May 2021, became notorious for its horrific details and Inoue’s claims of hearing voices urging her to commit the crime.

The young victims, Mia and Kai Inoue were attacked in their sleep, according to prosecutors. Describing the crime as premeditated, the prosecution argued that Inoue acted with full awareness, shattering the tranquility of her home with lethal intent.

Soon after the killings, Inoue, primarily speaking in Japanese, alerted the police herself. She was seen attempting to contact officers at a police substation near Arizona State University, confessing to the crime. Authorities discovered the children’s bodies in the apartment after her admission.

In the courtroom, Prosecutor Shaylee Beasley painted a harrowing picture of the attack, detailing the sheer brutality that Mia and Kai faced. The wounds inflicted on the children were presented as evidence of their struggle to shield themselves, with Beasley linking the violence to Inoue’s ongoing contentious divorce.

Inoue’s legal team, led by attorney Rebecca Felmly, argued that Inoue’s mental state raised reasonable doubt about her culpability. Despite Inoue’s assertion during her initial court appearance that she did not kill her children, the jury was not convinced by the defense’s claims, which included Inoue’s supposed lack of physical strength to commit such acts.

The defense pointed to unexplored avenues in the investigation, citing witnesses who were never called to testify. Meanwhile, previous child safety investigations reported no concerns of abuse or neglect in the household just months prior to the tragedy.

Additionally, Inoue was convicted of child abuse connected to a prior incident in March 2021, when her husband reported her as missing with their son, Kai. This incident ended with Inoue being found and hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation, while Kai was safely returned to his father.

The court’s ruling now leaves Inoue facing a potential life sentence. Her sentence is scheduled to be announced on March 21. The case has left deep scars in the community, highlighting both mental health issues and the devastating impact of domestic discord.