KEY POINTS:
Two of four people killed in a Christchurch house fire could have been charged with murder had they lived, a coroner's hearing was told yesterday.
When emergency services were called to a fire at the Tomonagas' home in April last year they found Junichi Tomonaga, 58, his wife Keiko Tomonaga, 60, his mother Michiko Tomonaga, 81, and long-time family friend and boarder Kinuko Hanai, 38, all lying dead inside.
Mr Tomonaga, the sole family breadwinner, and his wife were found in an upstairs bedroom, and the others in a downstairs bedroom.
Coroner Murray Jamieson ruled yesterday that Junichi and Keiko Tomonaga had died as the result of suicide.
Michiko Tomonaga and Ms Hanai died as the result of "unlawful killing", after succumbing to smoke and fumes from the fire, Dr Jamieson said.
Police said if Mr Tomonaga and his "loyal" wife had not died, both would have been charged with murder.
Michiko Tomonaga appeared to have tried to escape the fire, but because of her frail build was unable to withstand the thick smoke.
A smoke alarm was found on the floor in the upstairs bedroom, having been disconnected from the battery.
Petrol from containers found in the foyer had likely been used to start fires around the house.
Found in the letterbox outside was an envelope with $500 for the outstanding rent owed, and a note to the landlord which read: "Thank you very much".
The night before the fire the family had hosted friends to dinner at their home and Mr Tomonaga had given away DVDs and CDs they owned as gifts.
Aside from boxes of possessions stacked near the stairs, the friends did not sense there was anything wrong.
Mr Tomonaga was described by police yesterday as a proud, generous man "who could not see his way out of his financial problems".
He also felt the pressure of finding a new home, with the rental property they occupied earmarked for demolition.
Mr Tomonaga emigrated from Japan with his family in 1982, and initially found success in tourism, but his business suffered heavily from the impact of the Asian financial crisis in 1997.
Keiko Tomonaga had to ask her son Tetsushi for a loan.
"Tetsushi recalls a debt collector coming to the address because money was owed for the power bill," Detective Sergeant John Gallagher told a coroner's hearing yesterday.
"He also recalls the rent being in arrears."
Mr Tomonaga got work doing deliveries for a Christchurch radiator firm, but was struggling to support his family and pay off thousands of dollars in debts.
He confided in one colleague that he felt his family were ashamed of him because of the money he had lost.
