Japan's 'Twitter Killer': The Man Who Killed, Chopped Up 9 People
Japan used the death penalty for the first time in almost three years as it executed an individual known as the "Twitter killer," who was found guilty of killing and dismembering 9 people. The killer reportedly offered to help people with a suicidal mindset, die, after selecting them online.
The "Twitter killer," Takahiro Shiraishi, 34, was hanged Friday at the Tokyo Detention House for murdering and dismembering eight women and one man at his Zama city apartment in Kanagawa, near Tokyo, in 2017.
Who was 'Twitter Killer' Takahiro Shiraishi?
Takahiro Shiraishi, dubbed as "Twitter Killer" was Japanese serial killer and rapist. Shiraishi selected suicidal people on social media and offered to assist in their deaths. Following their enticement and murder, he dissected their bodies and stored portions of them in refrigerators in his flat.
He was taken into custody in October 2017 after police started investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman.
The woman had reportedly posted suicidal ideas on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media platforms. Her brother gained access to her X account and assisted the police in finding the dismembered bodies of nine people at Shiraishi's residence.
Every victim had reportedly expressed their desire to take their own life on the internet. Using his X name "hangman," Shiraishi reached out to them on social media and convinced them to visit his flat in exchange for helping them die. He later killed them and tried to conceal the stench by hiding bits of their remains in toolboxes and coolers with cat litter.
Shiraishi was eventually convicted in December 2020 of killing, raping, and dismembering nine individuals, aged between 15 and 26, at his flat in Zama city in Kanagawa near Tokyo.
Shiraishi's hanging was approved by Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki, who stated he reached the decision after considering the prisoner's "extremely selfish" motivation for actions that "caused great shock and unrest to society."
Shiraishi's attorneys argued for the lower charge of "murder with consent" during the prosecution's attempt to have him executed, arguing that his victims had consented to die. They also demanded that Shiraishi's mental health be evaluated, per CNN.
Prior to Shiraishi, a man named Tomohiro Kato was put to death in 2022 for an attack in Tokyo's Akihabara in 2008. Seven people were killed when Kato drove a rented two-ton truck into a crowd and then went on a stabbing rampage.
In Japan, execution dates are kept secret until the penalty has been carried out, and the death penalty is administered by hanging. Families and solicitors are typically not informed until after the execution has occurred, and executions are performed in complete secrecy with little to no prior notice.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
7 hours ago
- Mint
Who is Johnny Noviello? Canadian citizen dies in ICE custody, Ottawa seeks details from Trump administration
A new incident surrounding ICE could now spell trouble for the Trump administration after a Canadian national died in ICE custody. Canadian consular officials are seeking details about this death from the Trump administration, according to reports. Johnny Noviello is a Canadian citizen and a lawful permanent resident of the US, who passed away in ICE custody at the age of 49. The incident happened at a Florida detention center this week. He was found unresponsive and pronounced dead by the Miami Fire Rescue Department Monday afternoon, according to ICE officials. The cause of his death is still under probe, as per a CNN report.
NDTV
7 hours ago
- NDTV
Japan's 'Twitter Killer': The Man Who Killed, Chopped Up 9 People
Japan used the death penalty for the first time in almost three years as it executed an individual known as the "Twitter killer," who was found guilty of killing and dismembering 9 people. The killer reportedly offered to help people with a suicidal mindset, die, after selecting them online. The "Twitter killer," Takahiro Shiraishi, 34, was hanged Friday at the Tokyo Detention House for murdering and dismembering eight women and one man at his Zama city apartment in Kanagawa, near Tokyo, in 2017. Who was 'Twitter Killer' Takahiro Shiraishi? Takahiro Shiraishi, dubbed as "Twitter Killer" was Japanese serial killer and rapist. Shiraishi selected suicidal people on social media and offered to assist in their deaths. Following their enticement and murder, he dissected their bodies and stored portions of them in refrigerators in his flat. He was taken into custody in October 2017 after police started investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman. The woman had reportedly posted suicidal ideas on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media platforms. Her brother gained access to her X account and assisted the police in finding the dismembered bodies of nine people at Shiraishi's residence. Every victim had reportedly expressed their desire to take their own life on the internet. Using his X name "hangman," Shiraishi reached out to them on social media and convinced them to visit his flat in exchange for helping them die. He later killed them and tried to conceal the stench by hiding bits of their remains in toolboxes and coolers with cat litter. Shiraishi was eventually convicted in December 2020 of killing, raping, and dismembering nine individuals, aged between 15 and 26, at his flat in Zama city in Kanagawa near Tokyo. Shiraishi's hanging was approved by Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki, who stated he reached the decision after considering the prisoner's "extremely selfish" motivation for actions that "caused great shock and unrest to society." Shiraishi's attorneys argued for the lower charge of "murder with consent" during the prosecution's attempt to have him executed, arguing that his victims had consented to die. They also demanded that Shiraishi's mental health be evaluated, per CNN. Prior to Shiraishi, a man named Tomohiro Kato was put to death in 2022 for an attack in Tokyo's Akihabara in 2008. Seven people were killed when Kato drove a rented two-ton truck into a crowd and then went on a stabbing rampage. In Japan, execution dates are kept secret until the penalty has been carried out, and the death penalty is administered by hanging. Families and solicitors are typically not informed until after the execution has occurred, and executions are performed in complete secrecy with little to no prior notice.
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Who was Takahiro Shiraishi? Japan hangs ‘Twitter Killer' who murdered and dismembered nine
Japan has executed a man named Takahiro Shiraishi after he was convicted of murdering nine people, including eight women. This is the first capital punishment in the country since 2022, Reuters reported. The 34-year-old was hanged at the Tokyo Detention House on Friday, June 27, Japan's Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki said. This file photo taken on November 1, 20217 shows suspect Takahiro Shiraishi covering his face with his hands as he is transported to the prosecutor's office from a police station in Tokyo.(AFP) Shiraishi was arrested by police in 2017 for strangling and dismembering nine people at his apartment in Zama city, which is located near Tokyo. Post his arrest, he came to be known as the 'Twitter killer,' since he contacted all the victims through the social media platform. According to The New York Times, after searching his residence, officials discovered heads and other body parts of the victims in coolers. These were allegedly filled with cat litter to mask the odor. The discovery horrified Japan, which has low crime rates. Several of the nine victims were young women and girls contemplating suicide. They were lured to his apartment through social media. After bringing them to his house, Shiraishi strangled them and sexually assaulted some of the victims. He even robbed them and cut the corpses to hide them at different locations, The Washington Post reported. Among the female victims, there were also girls aged 15 and 17. Shiraishi murdered the male acquaintance of one victim after the person confronted him about her disappearance. All these incidents took place in a two-month killing spree in 2017. On one of his accounts on X, previously known as Twitter, Shiraishi identified himself as '@hangingpro'. He offered to help out people who were in pain. 'If you cannot help yourself, I can help you,' public prosecutors read one of his posts during the trial. Justice minister Keisuke Suzuki said the execution order was signed on Monday, but he did not witness the hanging on Friday morning. He added that the capital punishment was carried out after 'careful and deliberate consideration.' A major piece of evidence against Shiraishi was found when the brother of one of his victims saw his messages on her Twitter account. As per local media reports, Shiraishi told police during the trial that he was not interested in suicide and targeted people who wrote about it on social media. He stated that it was 'easier' for him to 'manipulate' them to his 'way of thinking.' FAQs: 1. When was the last capital punishment carried out in Japan? In July 2022, a man was executed after he went on a stabbing rampage in Akihabara in 2008. 2. How many death row inmates are there in Japan? Japan's justice minister Keisuke Suzuki said 105 people remain on death row in the country. 3. When was Takahiro Shiraishi sentenced to death? A Tokyo court had in December 2020 sentenced Shiraishi to death after finding him guilty of murdering nine people, who were between 15 and 26 years of age.
