Japan's 'Twitter killer' sentenced to death for murdering 9 people he met online, 435 turn up to watch verdict

The nine murders took place over three months from August to October 2017. Eight of the victims were women aged 15 to 26.


Japan's 'Twitter killer' sentenced to death

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Shampa Sen

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DNA Web Desk

Updated: Dec 15, 2020, 03:46 PM IST

Takahiro Shiraishi, 30 also known as "Twitter killer" has been sentenced to death by a Tokyo court on Tuesday. The Japanese man was given the verdict for murdering and dismembering nine people he met online.

Shiraishi, admitted killing and butchering his young victims - all but one of whom were women who he met on the social media platform. The accused used Twitter to lure suicidal women to his home where he drugged, robbed, raped and killed them before dismembering their bodies.

The nine murders took place over three months from August to October 2017. Eight of the victims were women aged 15 to 26. The only man was an acquaintance of one of the missing woman.

His lawyers had argued he should receive a prison sentence because his victims, aged between 15 and 26, expressed suicidal thoughts on social media and so had consented to death.

"None of the nine victims consented to be killed, including silent consent," the judge said, according to public broadcaster NHK, Japan.

"It is extremely grave that the lives of nine young people were taken away. The dignity of the victims was trampled upon," the judge reportedly added.

NHK said 435 people turned up to watch the verdict, even though the court only had 16 seats available for the public.

Shiraishi used Twitter to contact users who posted about taking their own lives, telling them he could help them in their plans or even die alongside them.

The father of one 25-year-old victim said in court last month that he "will never forgive Shiraishi even if he dies", NHK reported at the time.

"Even now, when I see a woman of my daughter's age, I mistake her for my daughter. This pain will never go away. Give her back to me!" he said.

Japan is one of few developed nations to retain the death penalty, and public support for it remains high.

Years usually pass between sentencing and execution, and the last execution was in December 2019, when a Chinese man was hanged for the murder of a family of four.