ICHIKAWA — 2007 · Murder
The Murder of Lindsay Hawker — Two Years on the Run
British English teacher Lindsay Hawker, 22, was found dead in March 2007 in a student's flat in Ichikawa, Chiba. When police came to the door the tenant fled barefoot, starting one of Japan's longest manhunts. The offender had cosmetic surgery to change his face and worked as a labourer in different cities; in November 2009 he was recognised and arrested at a ferry terminal in Osaka. In July 2011 the Chiba District Court convicted him of murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The case prompted long debate about the safety of foreign teachers in Japan and mistakes in the initial police response.
- Date
- 2007
- Place
- Chiba, Japan, Ichikawa, JP
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 35.7300, 139.9300 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 26 March 2007Hawker was found dead in the Ichikawa flat; the tenant escaped police.
- 2007–2009The offender changed his appearance through surgery and went into hiding.
- 10 November 2009He was arrested at a ferry terminal in Osaka.
- 21 July 2011The Chiba District Court sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Sources
- BBC News — Lindsay Hawker's killer Tatsuya Ichihashi jailed for life bbc.co.uk ↗
- The Guardian — Timeline: Lindsay Hawker's murder theguardian.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Murder of Lindsay Hawker en.wikipedia.org ↗
- BBC News
- The Guardian
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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Categories
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.