Yukio Yamaji

Overview

Yukio Yamaji (山地 悠紀夫; Yamaji Yukio; August 21, 1983 – July 28, 2009) was a Japanese triple killer. He murdered his own mother in 2000 and also murdered a 27-year-old woman and her 19-year-old sister in 2005.

Background

Yamaji was born into a poor family. His father died of cirrhosis in January 1995. After he graduated from junior high school, he did not enter high school and began working at the newspaper store.

The offence

Murder of his mother (2000)

Yamaji killed his 50-year-old mother with a metal baseball bat in Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi Prefecture on July 29, 2000, at the age of 16. After killing his mother, he called the police.

One of his motives was his mother’s silent telephone to the woman who he fell in love with. Another motive was his mother’s debt.

Rape and murders of two women (2005)

On November 17, 2005, Yamaji raped a 27-year-old woman and her 19-year-old sister and murdered them with a knife in Naniwa, Osaka. The two victims had never met Yamaji.

Yamaji said to the Osaka police: "I could not forget the feeling when I killed my mother, and wanted to see human blood."

Investigation and arrest

Arrest after the 2000 killing

After the July 29, 2000 killing of his mother, Yamaji was arrested on July 31.

Arrest after the 2005 killing

After the November 17, 2005 rape and killings in Naniwa, Osaka, Yamaji was arrested on December 5, 2005.

Trial and sentencing

Death sentence

On December 13, 2006, Osaka district court sentenced Yamaji to death.

Appeals

Yamaji’s defense made an appeal, but he retracted the appeal on May 31, 2007.

Outcome

Yamaji was executed by hanging in Osaka on July 28, 2009.

Other details

Yamaji was paroled in October 2003 and was released officially in March 2004. However, his work after the release was illegal.