Tsutomu Miyazaki, also known as the “Otaku Murderer,” was a Japanese serial killer who committed a series of heinous crimes in the late 1980s. Miyazaki’s case shocked Japan and the world, not just because of the brutality of his crimes but also because of his unusual background and the disturbing details of his behavior.
He took the young girls, who were between the ages of 4 and 7, in his car and killed them before dismembering their bodies and sexually assaulting them. Along with these appalling acts, he also engaged in cannibalism, kept body parts as trophies, and cruelly taunted the families of his victims.
The Childhood of The Serial Killer
Tsutomu Miyazaki was born on August 21, 1962, in Tokyo, Japan. He was the youngest of four siblings and grew up in a wealthy family. However, Miyazaki’s childhood was marked by several traumatic events.
His parents were distant and emotionally abusive towards him, and he was often bullied by his classmates. His self esteem was damaged by a rare birth defect that resulted in the fusion of his hand joints, making it impossible for him to bend his wrists upwards. As a result, Miyazaki became withdrawn and isolated, finding solace in his hobbies and interests.
His parents ran a successful newspaper business and had no time for family life. Subsequently, Miyazaki was sent to live with his grandfather. For the most part, he was brought up by his grandfather and an intellectually disabled individual whom the family had employed as a caretaker.
Having attended Meidai Nakano High School in Nakano, a prominent institution affiliated with Meiji University, he was initially an outstanding student. However, his academic performance deteriorated significantly over time. He was ranked 40th out of 56 in his class and did not obtain the typical admission to Meiji University reserved for students of his school.
Miyazaki and His Crimes
In May 1988, Miyazaki’s grandfather died, which served to deepen his depression and isolate him even further.
During the period of August 1988 to June 1989, Miyazaki carried out the horrific acts of murdering and mutilating four girls, all between the ages of 4 and 7. He also sexually abused their lifeless bodies, and shockingly, even ingested a part of one victim’s hand and drank her blood.
His first crime was carried out a day after his 26th birthday, on 22 August 1988. He kidnapped 4-year-old Mari Konno, murdered her and molested her body before dumping her. He later cut off her hands, feet and kept them in his closet as trophies. After the body had decomposed, he burned the bones, ground them into powder which he sent to the girl’s family with a note that read; “Mari. Bones. Cremated. Investigate. Prove.”
Miyazaki’s crimes continued until he was apprehended on 23 July 1989.
The Serial Killer is Arrested
On July 23, 1989, Miyazaki encountered two sisters playing in a park. He was able to lure the younger sister away from her older sibling.
He then convinced the younger sister to undress and took photographs of her. However, the girls’ father caught Miyazaki in the act.
Miyazaki fled the scene on foot, but later returned to the park to retrieve his car. However, he was arrested by the police, who had been called by the father.
His video collections
A search of Miyazaki’s two-room bungalow uncovered a staggering 5,763 disturbing videotapes. This collection was later cited as evidence for the reasoning behind Miyazaki’s heinous crimes.
Trial and Execution
The trial of Tsutomu Miyazaki commenced on March 30, 1990. He blamed his actions on a mystic man he called the ‘Rat Man.’ The court pyschiatrist came to the conclusion that he was aware of the gravity of his offences.
Tsutomu Miyazaki was executed by hanging on June 17, 2008.