By Lucy Caulkett-
An evil man known as the ‘Twitter Killer’ has been sentenced to death for the murders of nine people. Takahiro Shiraishi was found guilty of killing, dismembering and storing the bodies of nine victims in his apartment in Zama, near Tokyo. Siraishi was dubbed the twitter killer for using the social media platform to meet and lure women who’d allegedly expressed suicidal thoughts to his home, where he’d strangle and dismember them. Local media described the scene as a ‘house of horrors’.
The 30-year-old serial killer from Japan pleaded guilty to his crimes while appearing at the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Court. Shiraishi was arrested back in 2017, after local police discovered the body parts of eight females and one male, all aged 15-26, in his flat. The identities of the victims have been withheld to protect their privacy.
Officers had been searching for a missing 23-year-old woman, who ended up being one of the victims. After her brother accessed her Twitter account, he made police aware of a user she’d been in contact with, leading cops to Shiraishi.
While his lawyers originally argued his victims had been ‘killed with consent’, Shiraishi later confirmed he killed without their consent.
Judge Naokuni Yano described the killer’s crimes as ‘cunning and cruel’, saying, ‘None of the nine victims consented to be killed, including silent consent. It is extremely grave that the lives of nine young people were taken away. The dignity of the victims was trampled upon.’
Over 400 people turned up to watch the verdict today, December 15, despite only 16 seats being available to the public at the court.
The father of one victim earlier said he’d ‘never forgive Shiraishi even if he dies’, adding, ‘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.’
Shiraishi was found guilty of killing, dismembering and storing the bodies of nine victims in his apartment in Zama, near Tokyo.
The 30-year-old serial killer, from Japan, pleaded guilty to his crimes while appearing at the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Court, and also said he wouldn’t appeal his death sentence.
Arrest
Shiraishi was arrested back in 2017, after local police discovered the body parts of eight females and one male, all aged 15-26, in his flat. The identities of the victims have been withheld to protect their privacy.
Officers had been searching for a missing 23-year-old woman, who ended up being one of the victims. After her brother accessed her Twitter account, he made police aware of a user she’d been in contact with, leading them to Shiraishi.
It’s believed they were all murdered between August and October 2017, as per BBC News. He’s been dubbed the ‘Twitter Killer’, due to having used the social media platform to meet and lure women who’d allegedly expressed suicidal thoughts to his home, where he’d strangle and dismember them. Local media described the scene as a ‘house of horrors’.
While his lawyers originally argued his victims had been ‘killed with consent’, Shiraishi later confirmed he killed without their consent.
Judge Naokuni Yano described the killer’s crimes as ‘cunning and cruel’, saying, ‘None of the nine victims consented to be killed, including silent consent. It is extremely grave that the lives of nine young people were taken away. The dignity of the victims was trampled upon.’ According to local media, more than 400 people turned up to watch the verdict today, December 15, despite only 16 seats being available to the public at the court.
The father of one victim earlier said he’d ‘never forgive Shiraishi even if he dies’, adding, ‘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.’
Image: Getty