Japan's Twitter Killer: Who Is Takahiro Shiraishi? Why Was He Sentenced to Death?

In December, Japan's "Twitter Killer" who admitted to killing nine people in his home was given the death sentence.

It can be recalled that the 30-year-old murderer made a guilty plea to the murder of one man and eight women. This was after cops discovered butchered human remains and bones inside cooler boxes found in his apartment.

Who is the "Twitter Killer"?

The "Twitter Killer," also known as Takahiro Shiraishi was given the nickname after it was discovered that he used the social media platform in order to lure his victims.

According to The Daily Beast, Shiraishi's modus operandi (MO) was to convince suicidal people he found on Twitter to come to his home, where he would help them die.

At one point the infamous serial killer even used the platform to appear desperate. He even posted things saying he just wanted to forget everything and to disappear.

Moreover, police discovered that the "Twitter Killer" made several internet searches on how to dismember bodies. It was also found that he even bought a meat cleaver and a saw.

In addition, authorities also discovered plastic hand ties in his flat. They noted that this could possibly suggest that he restrained and kept some of his victims alive before he killed them.

All of his victims, with the exception of one, were women who were between the ages of 15 and 26.

Before becoming the "Twitter killer," Shiraishi was jobless. It was noted that he grew up in Zama, Japan with his parents and a younger sister.

After he graduated from high school, it was reported that Shiraishi entered several odd jobs and eventually became a scout for a prostitution ring in Japan.

The Death Sentence

The "Twitter Killer's" death sentence followed his guilty plea in the murder of nine people.

According to Japan Times, it was Tokyo District Court that gave the death sentence to Shiraishi back in December.

Shiraishi's crime was even described by Judge Naokuni Yano, who presided the proceedings as one of the most vicious crimes in Japan's history.

Moreover, Yano ruled that all of the Twitter Killer's victims did not consent to be mutilated and that the perpetrator was in a good mental state to be held accountable.

Relatives of the victims mourned the deaths of their family members, a father of the 25-year-old even stated that he will never forgive the murderer even in death.

How did police discover the Twitter Killer?

Shiraishi was caught after one of his neighbors reported smelling a sewage-like smell from his apartment.

Authorities then came and investigated the place. In October of 2017, they discovered the dismembered bodies in Shiraishi's apartment while they were investigating the sudden disappearance of a woman.

According to reports, the woman was last seen with Shiraishi.

In addition, one of Shiraishi's neighbors even said that the smell started coming out of the apartment as of August that year.

The Twitter Killer even tried to cover his tracks by burying severed flesh under cat litter in order to hide evidence. There were at least 240 bone parts, including the victim's heads found in containers in the apartment, The Sun reported.