d: 2005
Summary
Name:
Susumu KitagawaYears Active:
1983 - 1989Status:
ExecutedClass:
MurdererVictims:
2Method:
StrangulationDeath:
September 16, 2005Nationality:
Japand: 2005
Summary: Murderer
Name:
Susumu KitagawaStatus:
ExecutedVictims:
2Method:
StrangulationNationality:
JapanDeath:
September 16, 2005Years Active:
1983 - 1989Susumu Kitagawa was born in 1947 and was from Kochi Prefecture, Japan.
In August 1983, Susumu Kitagawa raped and strangled an 18-year-old girl in the city of Chiba, Chiba Prefecture. He also stole money from her. Japan Times/Kyodo reporting, citing the Supreme Court record, stated that he took 15,000 yen from the victim.
Several years later, in February 1989, Kitagawa raped and murdered a 24-year-old woman in Kochi Prefecture. He also stole money from her, with the reported amount listed as 20,000 yen. The two cases were later treated together in the criminal proceedings that led to his death sentence.
Kitagawa was sentenced to death in 1994 for the murders. His appeal reached Japan’s Supreme Court, which rejected the appeal in February 2000. After that ruling, his death sentence remained in place for several more years.
On September 16, 2005, Kitagawa was executed by hanging at Osaka Detention House. He was 58 years old. His execution was Japan’s first execution of that year and was the first execution order signed by Justice Minister Chieko Noono.
