Hiroki Kishinami
Japanese criminal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hiroki Kishinami (born around 1989) is a Japanese criminal, helped four suicidal people commit suicide.
The Guide to Death[1]
Hiroki Kishinami | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1989 (age 36–37) |
| Other names | The Grim Reaper, The Guide to Death[1] |
| Motive | Sex and Greed |
| Convictions | Assisted suicide, Attempted assisted suicide, Kidnapping of minors, Attempted commissioned murder, Theft |
Criminal penalty | 5 years imprisonment |
| Details | |
| Victims | 4 |
Span of crimes | June 10 or 12, 2024 – January, 2025 |
| Country | Japan |
| States | Fukushima, Yamagata |
| Target | Suicidal peoples |
| Weapons | Briquette |
Date apprehended | January 31, 2025 |
Biography
Hiroki Kishinami's date of birth is unknown, but he was born in Fukushima.[2] According to testimony from nearby residents, he had no contact with society and tended to be a recluse.[3] Kishinami's elementary school graduation album states that his favorite phrase is "Let's do our best until the end." His strengths were that he was knowledgeable and kind.[3] When he entered junior high school, his kind personality suddenly changed, and he is said to have slandered his teacher at the time because of his poor math scores.[3] He belonged to the tennis club in junior high school and went on to a high school near his parents' home, according to his classmates, who said he once worked at a pachinko parlor in the city.[2]
Crime
Kishinami's modus operandi was to pose as a suicidal person on social media, build relationships with victims, and assist them in committing suicide through carbon monoxide poisoning in abandoned villages and ruins.[2][4] Kishinami assisted five suicidal people to commit suicide between May 2024 and January 2025, resulting in four deaths.[5][6] He sometimes stole victims' cash cards and had sex with underage victims.[7] After Kishinami assisted Girl's suicide, he sent a message to an acquaintance saying, "I'll never forget the smile you had just before closing the tent."[8] At the trial, he apologized to the victim's family, saying, "Now I feel sorry for the person who committed suicide and the bereaved family," and "I don't know the grave of the deceased, and I don't think anyone will tell me, so I would like to light incense at a site I know."[8] Kishinami was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for helping five men and women commit suicide.[8][9] There was an uproar on the internet, saying that the sentence was too lenient considering the lives of four people.
Victims
- He assisted the suicides of two people in Kitakata City, a man in his 20s from Miyagi Prefecture and a teenager from Saitama Prefecture in June 2024.[2]
- He assisted a girl in committing suicide, but the attempt ended in failure in July.[2]
- Corpse of a girl from Yamagata Prefecture was discovered in September.[2][10]
- He helped a woman commit suicide in January 2025.[2]