Kumiko Yasufuku was arrested on Friday on suspicion of killing Namiko Takaba, then a 32-year-old housewife, at the victim’s flat 26 years ago. The suspect was identified by the victim’s husband as his former high school classmate.

“I felt uneasy, and my heart sank whenever the date of the incident drew near. I didn’t want to be arrested and cause trouble to my family,” she was quoted as telling investigators.

Yasufuku expressed regret over the incident, saying she felt sorry for the victim and had lived with constant anxiety for more than two decades, adding that she could not even look at newspapers about the case, according to police.

The police had questioned Yasufuku several times since August and asked her to voluntarily submit a DNA sample. Although she initially refused, she complied on Thursday and turned herself in to the Nishi Police Station hours later.

A DNA match with blood found at the scene led to her arrest the following day.