Background Profile

Nori Oyakawa Jenkins was a 51‑year‑old Asian woman, standing approximately 5′2″ tall and weighing around 115 pounds, with black hair, dark eyes, and a scar above her left eyebrow. Born in Japan on September 4, 1934, she relocated to the U.S., marrying Harold Jenkins while he was stationed in Okinawa. Together they settled in Topeka, Kansas, where she bore two daughters.

Medical History and Legal Tragedy

Throughout her adult life, Nori was diagnosed with severe mental illness, a condition that led to inpatient psychiatric treatment. In January 1964, she tragically strangled her daughters, Linda and Doris , using a cloth belt. At trial in March that year, two medical experts testified to her insanity; she was acquitted by reason of insanity and committed to Topeka State Hospital. ...Read More