Suicide Website Murderer Sentenced to Die

Hiroshi Maeue, 38, was sentenced to death on Wednesday after luring three people off a cyber suicide site claiming he as well wanted to commit suicide, instead suffocating all three victims and then filming their deaths, the victims were a 25 year-old woman, a 21 year-old college student and a 14 year-old student.

Judge Kazou Mizushima spoke about the crime in court and clearly stated to on lookers that "the crime was cruel, harsh and outrageous," he also went to say that "this was a crime aimed at fulfilling the accused's sexual desire"

In one of the victims cases, Maeue met the 25 year-old woman online and plotted together what would be called a suicide pact, but when it came down to the suicide, Maeue instead tied the woman up and suffocated her to death, the two other victims died similar deaths.

All three victims had accessed numerous "death sites" looking for partners and ways to commit suicide. Each were unaware of the plans Maeue had for them.

In 2005 the number of internet suicides in Japan was 55 victims, all associated with cybersuicide or cybercide, better known to most as internet suicide. In the United States if anyone makes any kind of suggestion regarding a suicide pact on the internet, they can be arrested and charged with attempted murder or murder. Other countries are trying to pass the same law having difficulties accomplishing removing the sites off the internet.

One woman in Ottawa, Canada was found hanging from the ceiling from a dog leash, family and officials later revealed that she had read detailed information about how to go about killing herself on the internet. Another incident in London involved 25 year-old Christopher Aston and 42 year-old Maria Williams who were found dead inside of a car with coal burning inside of a bowl. Both died from carbon monoxide poisoning, neither person had met other than to chat online in a suicide chat room discussing suicide options.

As Hiroshi Maeue was being sentenced, Judge Mizushima turned to him and bluntly told him to "pray for the souls of his victims", Maeue silently put his head down and did as he was told.