British native Lucy Jane Blackman, sometimes known as Lucie, was a resident of Sevenoaks, Kent. She had been a British Airways flight attendant before working as a hostess in Tokyo. To see the globe and make money to pay off her obligations, the hostess went to Japan. She worked as a hostess at Casablanca, which afterward changed its name to Greengrass, a nightclub in the bustling Roppongi neighborhood of Tokyo, at the time of her untimely disappearance and death.
Blackman went on a paid date with a Casablanca customer on July 1, 2000, but she strangely disappeared and no one heard from her again after making a couple of calls to a buddy during the date.
Lucie Blackman Missing Update 2023
Lucie’s family was shocked by her abrupt and inexplicable departure, and they took off for Tokyo right once to try to find her. They started a widely reported media campaign and asked British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who was in Tokyo at the time, for help. Newspapers began reporting on the young woman’s disappearance on July 13, which brought considerable attention to the case. During his formal visit to Japan, British Prime Minister Tony Blair brought up the subject when he met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
Following the extensive media coverage, British nationals residing in Japan established and manned an information hotline. Furthermore, a large £100,000 prize for any information leading to the missing woman’s location was provided by an unidentified businessman. Three foreign women came forward around this time, saying they had woken up in the bed of Joji Obara, a Japanese businessman who visited Roppongi, feeling sick and painful.
They had complained about Obara to the Roppongi police, but they received no response. Police connected several incidents involving the individual identified as Nishita and Obara as the inquiry went on. On February 9, 2001, Jane’s body was found buried in a small grave beneath a bathtub in a beach cave in Miura, Kanagawa, some 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Tokyo and close to Obara’s home.
It was difficult to determine the cause of her death due to the stage of her decomposition. Her head had been shaved and covered in concrete, and her body had been cut into ten pieces and put in different bags. The prosecution filed an indictment against Joji for his role in the case, claiming that he drugged and sexually assaulted the British woman before killing her at a Zushi condominium.
But the offender said he was innocent, saying she gave the medicines to herself willingly. Jane’s untimely death and disappearance brought to light concerns about crime and safety in Japan, particularly for those who are vulnerable and work in the entertainment and nightlife sectors. Her experience serves as a poignant reminder of the value of making sure people are secure and protected when traveling to other countries.
Where Is Serial Killer Joji Obara Now?
Kim Sung Jong, commonly known as Joji Obara, is a Korean-Japanese serial rapist who is thought to have victimized between 150 and 400 women. He was charged in October 2000 with drugging, raping, and killing Lucie Blackman. He was also connected to the manslaughter and rape of eight other women, including Carita Ridgway. The serial killer was found guilty of several counts of rape and manslaughter in April 2007 following the start of his trial on July 4, 2001.
On the other hand, he was cleared of Lucie’s rape and murder allegations because there was insufficient direct evidence. Prosecutors played around 400 tapes of his raping women on dates, one of which featured Carita Ridgway. Blackman’s case was handled by the Japanese legal system, which drew criticism for potentially causing delays in body discovery and death determination because of his undocumented employment status.
The murderer’s life sentence was upheld when the Supreme Court of Japan denied his appeal in December 2010. Obara’s horrific deeds have had a lasting effect on his victims’ and their families’ lives. He is incarcerated right now, fulfilling his penalty for the horrific acts he committed against other innocent women.
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