Japan has executed Takahiro Shiraishi, the man known as the “Twitter murderer”, after he was convicted of killing and dismembling nine people, most of them women.
Its execution, when hanging, took place on Friday at Tokyo's detention house. It was the first use of the capital punishment of Japan in almost three years.
Shiraishi, 34, was sentenced to death in 2020 after declaring himself guilty of the murders. His victims included eight women and a man.
He was arrested in October 2017 after the police recorded his apartment in Zama, Prefecture of Kanagawa, near Tokyo.
They were investigating the disappearance of a 23 -year -old who had published suicidal thoughts on social networks, including Twitter, now known as X.
Inside his house, the police found three colder boxes and five containers full of human heads and bones.
The meat had been scraped, according to CNN TV Asahi affiliate, citing police sources.
The horrible discovery surprised the nation and led to growing concern about the role of social networks in suicide and crime.
According to the Japanese public broadcaster NHK and TV Asahi, the nine victims were between 15 and 26 years old.
Many had published online about wanting to die and were then contacted by Shiraishi through social networks.
Using a account name that translated freely “Hangman”, Shiraishi promised to help them finish their lives, according to the Jiji news agency.
He attracted them to his apartment, where he killed them.
In court, Shiraishi admitted to having killed the victims.
He said he had done it to satisfy his own sexual desires, NHK and TV ASAHI reported.
In December 2020, he was convicted of murder, violation and dismemberment.
He maintained the remains of the victims in his department.
Although his lawyer appealed the ruling, Shiraishi then withdrew the appeal. The death sentence was completed.
“This case, promoted by selfish reasons such as sexual and financial gratification, resulted in the death of nine people for two months, a deeply serious incident that has caused shock and anxiety throughout society,” said Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki on a press conference on Friday at a press conference.
“I understand that it is a especially heartbreaking case for both victims and their families,” he added.
However, not everyone felt that the execution was the correct result.
The father of one of the victims told NHK that he would have preferred Shiraishi to spend the rest of his life thinking about his crimes.
He said he would prefer to have seen him “to spend his life reflecting on the crimes he committed, to simply lose it through the death penalty.”
The execution of Shiraishi is the first in Japan since July 2022.
In Japan, death sentences are held hanging.
The government does not reveal the execution dates in advance. Families and lawyers are usually informed only after the execution is carried out.
“The death sentence was ended after an exhaustive judgment process,” said Suzuki. “After careful and deliberate consideration of all factors, I issued the execution order.”
(CNN)
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