Tsutomu Miyazaki, dubbed the “Otaku Murderer,” was a Japanese serial killer who committed a number of heinous crimes in the late 1980s. Miyazaki’s case shocked Japan and the rest of the world, not only because of the heinousness of his crimes, but also because of his unusual background and disturbing details about his behavior.

He drove the young girls, aged 4 to 7, in his car and killed them before dismembering their bodies and sexually assaulting them. In addition to these heinous acts, he practiced cannibalism, kept body parts as trophies, and cruelly taunted the families of his victims.

The Childhood of the Tsutomu Miyazaki

Tsutomu Miyazaki was born in Tokyo, Japan, on August 21, 1962. He grew up in a wealthy family as the youngest of four siblings. Miyazaki’s childhood, on the other hand, was marred by a number of traumatic events.

His parents were emotionally abusive to him, and he was frequently bullied by his classmates. A rare birth defect caused the fusion of his hand joints, making it impossible for him to bend his wrists upwards, which harmed his self-esteem. As a result, Miyazaki became withdrawn and isolated, turning to his hobbies and interests for solace.

His parents were successful newspaper publishers with little time for family life. Miyazaki was then sent to live with his grandfather. He was mostly raised by his grandfather and an intellectually disabled individual whom the family had hired as a caregiver.

He was an outstanding student at Meidai Nakano High School in Nakano, a prestigious institution affiliated with Meiji University. His academic performance, on the other hand, deteriorated significantly over time. He was ranked 40th out of 56 in his class and was denied admission to Meiji University, which was normally reserved for students from his school.

The Crimes of Miyazaki

Miyazaki’s grandfather died in May 1988, deepening his depression and isolating him even more.

Miyazaki committed the heinous crime of murdering and mutilating four girls between the ages of four and seven between August 1988 and June 1989. He also sexually abused their lifeless bodies and, even more shocking, ingested a portion of one victim’s hand and drank her blood.

On August 22, 1988, a day after his 26th birthday, he committed his first crime. He kidnapped Mari Konno, murdered her, and molested her body before abandoning her. He later severed her hands and feet and kept them as trophies in his closet. He burned the bones after the body had decomposed and 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 his capture on July 23, 1989.

The Serial Killer is Arrested

Miyazaki came across two sisters playing in a park on July 23, 1989. He was successful in luring the younger sister away from her older sister.

He then persuaded her younger sister to strip naked and photograph her. However, Miyazaki was caught in the act by the girls’ father.

Miyazaki fled on foot from the scene, but later returned to the park to retrieve his car. He was, however, apprehended by the police, who had been summoned by the father.

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

Tsutomu Miyazaki’s trial began on March 30, 1990. He blamed his actions on a mystic he referred to as the ‘Rat Man.’ The court pyschiatrist concluded that he was aware of the gravity of his crimes.

On June 17, 2008, Tsutomu Miyazaki was executed by hanging.