Pregnant Ripper Murder
Toda-cho, Nagoya-shi
Images from www.matome.naver.jp/odai/2140738019258379001
Japan is a relatively peaceful society as modesty, politeness, and compliance are highly valued traits throughout the generations. However, when a crime is committed - particularly murder - tensions rise due to the heinous nature and actions brought about by hatred and jealousy. One such case of deliberate cruelty is the 'Nagoya Pregnant Ripper Case' which remains unsolved to this day.
Residence Misato, #202 B building
Toda Station, Nagoya-shi
18th March, 1988
Toda Station, Nagoya-shi
18th March, 1988
A 27 year-old heavily pregnant woman was caught off-guard in her home when an intruder broke in through the front door. After a short struggle, the intruder wrapped an electric cord around the woman's neck, suffocating her. The intruder cut a vertical 38 centimetre slit in the belly of the victim before removing the live baby and cutting the umbilical cord. The intruder quickly fled after removing cash from the woman's purse.
Hours later, the husband returned home to find the corpse of his wife and a conscious baby. When using a towel to wipe the residue from his baby's body, the husband realised something had been crammed into the cavity of the woman's stomach. A quick check revealed the intruder had forced a phone and car keys into the hole where the baby had been.
Points of Interest
The police originally suspected the husband due to a number of reasons:
- his wife was thirteen days past the birth due date, but the husband ignored calls from her throughout the day
- upon arriving back to the apartment, the husband didn't alert the authorities when he discovered the door was open
- before checking on his wife, the husband changed from his work suit into casual clothing (despite being past the baby's due date)
- when commemorating his wife's death, the husband poured a glass of wine and announced dramatically, "Let us pour wine, as my wife liked it!". Observers stated his actions caused discomfort as they were similar to a professional actor (meaning he could fake the mourning of his wife)
- his wife was thirteen days past the birth due date, but the husband ignored calls from her throughout the day
- upon arriving back to the apartment, the husband didn't alert the authorities when he discovered the door was open
- before checking on his wife, the husband changed from his work suit into casual clothing (despite being past the baby's due date)
- when commemorating his wife's death, the husband poured a glass of wine and announced dramatically, "Let us pour wine, as my wife liked it!". Observers stated his actions caused discomfort as they were similar to a professional actor (meaning he could fake the mourning of his wife)
All suspicions and allegations were dropped as the husband had a strong alibi of working at the time of his wife's death.
Other important facts taken into account:
- the husband and wife were part of Amway (an MLM company known for its aggressive selling tactics - a concept frowned upon in Japanese culture)
- a short male in salary-man clothing had visited neighbours earlier in the day to ask if the husband was home (one housewife complained of the man being 'creepy')
- due to the baby's survival, the intruder would have had to slice the woman's abdomen and remove the child within minutes of her death - people have speculated:
a) the intruder may have been a psychopath or had no remorse as the slit was cleanly cut only minutes after committing murder
b) the intruder may have been in the medical field due to having knowledge about surgical procedures and human anatomy
c) the intruder may have been a high school student due to evidence in regards to shoe size
- the murder was similar to another incident twenty-eight years before when several high school girls were murdered before having their stomachs slit open and underwear crammed inside
- the husband and wife were part of Amway (an MLM company known for its aggressive selling tactics - a concept frowned upon in Japanese culture)
- a short male in salary-man clothing had visited neighbours earlier in the day to ask if the husband was home (one housewife complained of the man being 'creepy')
- due to the baby's survival, the intruder would have had to slice the woman's abdomen and remove the child within minutes of her death - people have speculated:
a) the intruder may have been a psychopath or had no remorse as the slit was cleanly cut only minutes after committing murder
b) the intruder may have been in the medical field due to having knowledge about surgical procedures and human anatomy
c) the intruder may have been a high school student due to evidence in regards to shoe size
- the murder was similar to another incident twenty-eight years before when several high school girls were murdered before having their stomachs slit open and underwear crammed inside
Although the investigation was extensive, the intruder was never found.