Do you know who murdered Sunao Yamada? In the early morning hours of September 10, 2017, the quiet streets of Portland, Maine, became the scene of a tragedy that would leave a community searching for answers. Sunao Yamada, a 54-year-old White male known to his friends as "Tom," was found deceased on Temple Street, across from One City Center. His death was quickly ruled a homicide by the state medical examiner, though the specific cause was not publicly disclosed by authorities.
Yamada, who had been a resident of Portland for approximately two decades, was experiencing homelessness at the time of his death and was a familiar presence in the Monument Square area.
The investigation into Yamada's death revealed that he was last seen alive around 3:20 a.m., just an hour before his body was discovered by a 911 caller at 4:20 a.m. He was not alone in his final hours; a witness reported seeing him with another man not far from where his body was ultimately found. This individual was identified as a person of interest by the Portland Police Department. Law enforcement released a description of this man, describing him as a white male, approximately 25 to 30 years old, standing about six feet tall with a thin build and dark hair. A police sketch of the person of interest was later circulated in the hopes of generating leads from the public.
Despite the efforts of investigators and public appeals for information, the case of Sunao Yamada's death remains unsolved. In the years that have followed, the Portland Police Department has continued to seek new information, at one point issuing a renewed call for tips and partnering with Seacoast Crime Stoppers to offer a cash reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible. Detectives have reviewed the case extensively, believing that someone within the community holds the key to resolving the investigation and bringing a measure of justice for Yamada and his family. The person of interest seen with him shortly before his death has never been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the homicide.
