Issei Sagawa Biography, Cause Of Death, Family, Cannibal Killer
Find out more about the infamous Japanese assassin Issei Sagawa, who was also called the “Kobe Cannibal.” Learn about his horrible actions and how he was said to have died at the age of 73.
Even though he killed and raped a Dutch woman, the Japanese cannibal Issei Sagawa was able to evade punishment and walk free from his crimes. Issei Sagawa, also known as the Kobe cannibal, was a Japanese assailant who died in 2022.
Along with getting away with his crimes, Sagawa showed no remorse and even went on to use his newfound popularity to publish a book, give interviews, and participate in a documentary.
Issei Sagawa Cause of Death
Sagawa allegedly passed away on November 24 from pneumonia. Only family members attended the burial, and there was no formal ceremony, according to his younger brother.
Sagawa “Kobe Cannibal,” Crimes
When Sagawa was a student in Paris in 1981, the horrible tragedy took place. A Dutch student called Renee Hartevelt seems to have been invited to the would-be murderer’s flat.
She was shot in the neck by Sagawa, who then raped her bloodied body, much to her disgust. He then ate pieces of the victim’s body over a period of days, which is called cannibalism.
Sagawa reportedly made an attempt to dispose of Hartevelt’s remains in the Bois de Boulogne Park at first. This, however, did not work because he was later apprehended by authorities and confessed to his crime.
Sagawa Trials
However, following the horrifying episode, French medical professionals ruled in 1983 that Sagawa was mentally incompetent to stand trial. So, he was just locked up in a mental hospital until the next year, when he was sent to Japan.
Sagawa’s prosecution in Japan was pushed for by Hartevelt’s bereaved family in an effort to ensure that “the killer would never go free.” When Sagawa came, the Japanese authorities eventually declared him to be “sane.” Sagawa’s sole issue, according to the authorities, was a “character aberration” that didn’t call for any kind of hospitalization.
However, it is said that the French were unable to provide his case papers when the Japanese authorities launched the investigation. The case had been declared closed by the French authorities. This resulted in a startling change of circumstances that allowed Sagawa to escape punishment for his crimes.
Sagawa famously even detailed every aspect of his crime in a book-like memoir titled “In the Fog.” The nasty killer took advantage of his crime rather than even trying to cover it up.
In his book “Letter from Sagawa-kun,” Japanese author Juro Kara also wrote about Sagawa and the crimes he committed. The 1982 Akutagawa Prize, the most prestigious literary honor in the nation, was given to the work.
Sagawa’s life as a famous person was like a roller coaster. He did a lot of interviews with national and international media, became known for his drawings of naked women in a magazine, and even acted in a pornographic movie.
Even a manga comic book exposing the grisly details of his atrocities was created by him. Rock bands like “The Rolling Stones” and “The Stranglers” made several references to the murder in their songs.
Sagawa, who spent his final years in a wheelchair and shared a home with his brother, showed no regret or desire to change despite the atrocities he had committed. In 2013, Sagawa made the infamous comment in an interview while staring at posters of Japanese women:
“I believe they would taste fantastic.” Additionally, he admitted to being “obsessed with cannibalism” to the media outlet. My urge to devour a woman had evolved into a duty.
The killer described the specifics of his act in a number of interviews and in the 2017 documentary “Caniba.” Sagawa and his brother are said to have spent many months with the movie’s makers. One of the co-directors said in a statement that the incident made them feel “conflicted.”