Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Japan 'Twitter Killer' Sentenced to Death for Serial Murders
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 4 years ago on
December 15, 2020

Share

TOKYO — A Japanese court on Tuesday sentenced a man to death for killing and dismembering nine people, most of whom had posted suicidal thoughts on social media, in a case that shocked the country.

The Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Court found Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the “Twitter killer,” guilty of killing, dismembering and storing the bodies of the victims in his apartment in Zama, near Tokyo.

Shiraishi, 30, pleaded guilty and said he would not appeal his death sentence.

Police arrested Shiraishi in 2017 after finding the bodies of eight females and one male in cold-storage cases in his apartment.

Investigators said Shiraishi approached the victims via Twitter, offering to assist them with their suicidal wishes. He killed the women, including teenagers, after raping them, and also killed a boyfriend of one of the women to silence him, investigators said.

On Twitter, Shiraishi used the name “Hangman,” promising to help his victims die and inviting them to his apartment.

Although his defense lawyers argued that he assisted the victims’ suicidal wishes, Shiraishi later said he killed them without their consent.

In the ruling, presiding Judge Naokuni Yano said none of the victims agreed to be killed and that Shiraishi was fully responsible for their deaths, according to media reports.

He said the crime was extremely heinous and had caused fear and concern in a society where social media have become an indispensable part of everyday life, NHK public television reported.

Japan’s suicide rate ranks among the world’s highest. Following a recent decline, the number has climbed back this year as people were hit by the effects of the pandemic.

Japan’s crime rate is relatively low, but it has experienced some recent high-profile killings. In July 2016, a former employee of a home for the disabled allegedly killed 19 residents and injured more than 20 others.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

Israel Strikes Hodeidah Port, Threatens Naval, Air Blockade

California Is a Donor State, but Can It Stop Sending Its Tax Dollars to DC?

57 minutes ago

Marines Prepare to Deploy in LA as More Protests Planned Across US

1 hour ago

Bass and Other California Mayors Call for End to Immigration Raids

Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles and leaders of more than 30 smaller cities in California called Wednesday for an end to the federal immigrat...

5 minutes ago

5 minutes ago

Bass and Other California Mayors Call for End to Immigration Raids

11 minutes ago

Justice Department to Take Narrow Approach to Prosecuting Corporate Bribery Abroad

28 minutes ago

Free Food, Haircuts, and Rapid HIV Testing Friday in Fresno

57 minutes ago

California Is a Donor State, but Can It Stop Sending Its Tax Dollars to DC?

Military Vehicles on LA Freeway 101
1 hour ago

Marines Prepare to Deploy in LA as More Protests Planned Across US

2 hours ago

Harvey Weinstein Convicted of Sex Crime Amid Contentious Jury Deliberations

2 hours ago

Federal Raids Threaten California Businesses as Immigrant Workers Vanish From Job Sites

3 hours ago

Water Scarcity Is Forcing Tough Decisions. This Legislation Can Keep Our Family Farm Afloat

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend