Takahiro Shiraishi, a 30-year-old Japanese man, was sentenced to death in December 2020 for the murders of nine people. The victims were all young women, mostly in their teens and twenties, who had expressed suicidal thoughts on social media. Shiraishi lured them to his apartment in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, under the pretense of helping them die. Once they arrived, he would drug them, strangle them, and dismember their bodies.
Timeline of the murders:
- August 21, 2017: Shiraishi kills his first victim, 17-year-old Misaki Nagay.
- August 24, 2017: Shiraishi kills his second victim, 21-year-old Arisa Inoue.
- August 25, 2017: Shiraishi kills his third victim, 22-year-old Momoko Umeda.
- August 26, 2017: Shiraishi kills his fourth victim, 21-year-old Ayaka Kumagai.
- August 28, 2017: Shiraishi kills his fifth victim, 20-year-old Narumi Kurosaki.
- August 30, 2017: Shiraishi kills his sixth victim, 15-year-old Hinako Kato.
- September 3, 2017: Shiraishi kills his seventh victim, 26-year-old Natsumi Yamaguchi.
- September 5, 2017: Shiraishi kills his eighth victim, 23-year-old Haruka Kubo.
- September 14, 2017: Shiraishi kills his ninth and final victim, 21-year-old Aiko Tamura.
Background:
Shiraishi was born in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, in 1990. He was a quiet and introverted child, and he struggled to make friends. He also had a history of mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
In 2017, Shiraishi began using Twitter to connect with people who were struggling with suicidal thoughts. He created a Twitter account called @hana_shizoku, which means “helper of flowers” in Japanese. He would post messages offering to help people who were thinking about suicide.
The murders:
Shiraishi’s first victim was 17-year-old Misaki Nagay. Nagay had been posting on Twitter about her suicidal thoughts. Shiraishi contacted her and offered to help her die. He lured her to his apartment and strangled her.
Shiraishi killed his next eight victims in a similar way. He would contact them on Twitter, offer to help them die, and then lure them to his apartment and kill them.
The victims were all young women, mostly in their teens and twenties. They came from all walks of life. Some were students, some were working women, and some were unemployed.
The arrest:
Shiraishi’s crimes came to an end on October 31, 2017. A young woman named Hinako Kato contacted Shiraishi on Twitter. She told him that she was thinking about suicide, and he offered to help her. Kato agreed to meet him at his apartment.
Kato’s brother became suspicious of her meeting with Shiraishi. He contacted the police, and the police went to Shiraishi’s apartment. When they arrived, they found Kato’s body, along with the bodies of eight other women.
The trial:
Shiraishi was arrested and charged with nine counts of murder. He confessed to the crimes, and he was found guilty in December 2020. He was sentenced to death, and he is currently awaiting execution.
The aftermath:
Shiraishi’s case has shocked and horrified Japan. It has raised questions about the country’s mental health care system and the way that social media is used. The Japanese government has taken steps to address these concerns, including increasing funding for mental health care and creating new laws to regulate social media.
The case of Takahiro Shiraishi is a reminder of the dangers of online predators. It is important to be aware of the risks and to take precautions when interacting with strangers online. If you are feeling suicidal, please reach out for help. There are many resources available, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255).
Additional details:
- Shiraishi’s victims were all young women who were struggling with mental health problems.
- Shiraishi would often pose as a woman on Twitter in order to gain the trust of his victims.
- Shiraishi would keep the bodies of his victims in his apartment for days or even weeks.
- Shiraishi was arrested after a young woman who was planning to meet him on Twitter contacted the police.
- Shiraishi’s case has led to calls for increased regulation of social media and more resources for mental health care in Japan.
I hope this article provides more details about the case of Takahiro Shiraishi. It is a tragic story, but it is important to remember the victims and to learn from this case so that it does not happen again.