Japan executes murderer dubbed ‘The Twitter killer' who dismembered nine people in his home
A man dubbed the "Twitter killer" has been executed in Japan for the murder and dismemberment of nine people. Takahiro Shiraishi was sentenced to death in 2020 for the killings, which took place in 2017 at his apartment near Tokyo.
Shiraishi lured his victims, most of whom had posted suicidal thoughts on social media, before murdering them. He was also convicted of sexually abusing female victims.
The execution comes as calls for the abolition of capital punishment in Japan continue to grow. This debate has intensified following the acquittal last year of Iwao Hakamada, who had been the world's longest-serving death-row inmate.
Shiraishi was hanged at the Tokyo Detention House in high secrecy with nothing disclosed until the execution was done.
Police arrested him 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 eight women, including teenagers, after raping them, and also killed a boyfriend of one of the women to silence him.
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 COVID-19 pandemic.
Japan's crime rate is relatively low, but it has seen some high-profile mass killings in recent years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gypsy Rose Blanchard Calls Nicholas Godejohn 'Deeply Disturbed' In Long Rant
In a long rant on Instagram, claims she has "taken accountability" and is now "taking back her life." Her social media post comes just one day after she officially completed her parole, following her release on December 28, 2024, after serving eight years of a 10-year sentence. Not only did Gypsy Rose Blanchard open up about the next chapter in her life, but she also mentioned , her ex boyfriend who helped murder her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Nicholas met Gypsy on a Christian dating site in 2012. At the time, Gypsy was living under her mother's strict control, isolated from the outside world and desperate for connection. Their online relationship quickly became intense and unconventional. They exchanged explicit messages and discussed sexual fantasies, with Gypsy later testifying that Nicholas believed he had multiple personalities, one of which was violent and dominant. Over time, Gypsy confided in Nicholas about the abuse she was suffering at the hands of her mother. Feeling trapped and hopeless, she turned to him for help. It was within this context that they began plotting Dee Dee's murder. In June 2015, Nicholas traveled from Wisconsin to Missouri to carry out the plan they had discussed. While Gypsy hid in the bathroom, Nicholas stabbed Dee Dee multiple times in her bedroom. After the murder, the pair fled to Wisconsin, where they were arrested days later. "When I accepted my sentence, I accepted the weight of my choices," Gypsy said in the lengthy Instagram post. "I served my time. That was my accountability and I've carried it for years. I don't owe the past anything more." It was then that she went on to call Nicholas Godejohn a "deeply disturbed man" who "knew the difference between right and wrong." "Regardless of my role of unintentional manipulations. This type of manipulation isn't rooted in malice; it's often a reflection of past trauma, fear of abandonment, or a lack of emotional tools," she continued. "The key difference is intent. The person is not trying to deceive or control, but the behavior still affects others and requires self-awareness and growth to correct." Gypsy went on to explain how "Nicholas made the decision to move forward with that night" and how "that was a choice and he is not exempy from the consequences of that choice." "His diagnosis of Autism/Asperger's does not excuse what he did," she claimed. "Mental health is complex, but accountability matters and no one is above the law. His fate was decided by a panel of judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and 12 jury members who reviewed the same evidence circulating online. His efforts of appeals have all been unsuccessful, each court agreeing with the original conviction." The ex-convict then told her followers that she "will not carry his actions on her shoulders any longer" and her next chapter is "one of healing, growth, and reclaiming her life." "This is freedom, and I'm moving forward with clarity, peace, and self-forgiveness," Gypsy added. "The Justice system has decided. The case is closed. This is justice for DeeDee, as well as myself, who the system failed all my life." As The Blast reported, many doctors accepted Dee Dee's explanations and falsified medical records at face value, and while a few raised concerns, no one followed through. One neurologist, Dr. Bernardo Flasterstein, noted that Gypsy displayed no symptoms of muscular dystrophy or other ailments Dee Dee reported. He suspected Munchausen syndrome by proxy and documented it in his notes. Still, no report was made. No intervention followed. Gypsy concluded by expressing her "continued prayers" for the Pitre family (Dee Dee's side of the family), admitting she is "deeply remorseful for the pain and heartbreak her actions have caused them." "I recognize that nothing I say can undo the trauma or bring Dee Dee back, but from the depths of my heart, I will continue to express my sincerest apologies to them, now, and always," she wrote. Now, Gypsy is ready to begin her next chapter as a free woman, a mom, and a partner to Ken Urker.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Man convicted in DeLand murder plotted with victim's stepdaughter for insurance payout
A man was convicted and sentenced to life in prison June 26 for his part in a plot with his girlfriend to kill her stepfather in DeLand and cash in on his insurance money. Perry Stanley Sr., 48, of Apopka, was found guilty as charged of first-degree murder. He was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Blackburn sentenced Stanley to the mandatory life in prison without parole. Stanley shot Terrance Gibson, 59, of DeLand on Jan. 31, 2019, in an open lot on West Euclid Avenue. Stanley and Gibson's stepdaughter, Myesha Williams, 36, had increased Gibson's accidental death insurance policy from $25,000 to $750,000 16 days before his murder, according to State Attorney's Office Public Information Officer Haley Harrison. They expected to receive $150,000 from the policy, she wrote. Stanley pretended to be Gibson during a phone call to confirm the change to the insurance agent. Detectives recovered a cellphone used by Stanley near the scene of the murder. Detectives learned that Stanley called Williams seven minutes before the murder. "We do not give up our fight to make justice a reality for the citizens of the 7th Circuit. This case demonstrates our resolve," State Attorney R.J. Larizza stated in the press release. DeLand Police investigated the case with help from the Volusia Sheriff's Office. Assistant State Attorneys Helen Schwartz and Annamarie Danylo prosecuted the case. Williams pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder with a firearm as part of a plea agreement that calls for her to face between 25 to 50 years in prison with credit for time served. She agreed to testify about the plot and cooperate with law enforcement. Williams had been indicted on a charge of first-degree murder which carries a sentence of mandatory life in prison. Williams is awaiting sentencing. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Man guilty in DeLand murder arranged by victim's stepdaughter
New York Post
42 minutes ago
- New York Post
Japan executes ‘Twitter killer' who murdered and dismembered 9 people in his apartment
A man convicted of murder for killing and dismembering nine people in his apartment near Tokyo was executed Friday, Japan's Justice Ministry said. Takahiro Shiraishi, known as the 'Twitter killer,' was sentenced to death in 2020 for the killings in 2017 of the nine victims, most of whom had posted suicidal thoughts on social media. He was also convicted of sexually abusing female victims. Police arrested him later that year after finding the bodies of eight teenage girls and women as well as one man in cold-storage cases in his apartment. 3 Takahiro Shiraishi was executed after pleading guilty to murdering nine people at his apartment in Japan. Investigators said Shiraishi approached the victims via Twitter, offering to assist them with their suicidal wishes. He killed the three teenage girls and five women after raping them. He also killed the boyfriend of one of the women to silence him. 'The case caused the extremely serious outcomes and dealt a major shockwave and unease to the society,' Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki told an emergency news conference. He said he signed the execution earlier this week, but did not witness Shiraishi's hanging. The execution was carried out as calls grow to abolish capital punishment or increase transparency in Japan after the acquittal of the world's longest-serving death row inmate Iwao Hakamada last year. Suzuki justified the need for the execution in Japan, noting a recent government survey shows an overwhelming majority of the public still supports capital punishment, though opposition has somewhat increased. 3 Takahiro Shiraishi (C) covering his face with his hands as he is transported to the prosecutor's office from a police station in Tokyo on Nov. 1, 2017. JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images 'I believe it is not appropriate to abolish execution,' Suzuki said, adding there is growing concern about serious crime. Shiraishi was hanged at the Tokyo Detention House in secrecy with nothing disclosed until the execution was done. Japan now has 105 people on death row, including 49 seeking retrials, Suzuki said. Executions are carried out in secrecy in Japan, where prisoners are not even informed of their fate until the morning of their hanging. 3 Investigators said Shiraishi approached the victims via Twitter, offering to assist them with their suicidal wishes. JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images Since 2007, Japan has begun disclosing the names of those executed and some details of their crimes, but disclosures are still limited. Japan and the US are the only two countries in the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations that retain capital punishment. Japan's most recent execution, in July 2022, was of a man who killed seven people in a vehicle crash and stabbing rampage in a crowded Tokyo shopping district of Akihabara in 2018. Japan's crime rate is relatively low, but it has seen some high-profile mass killings in recent years.
