Ōmuta murders

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The Ōmuta murders (大牟田殺人, Ōmuta Satsujin^?) were committed by the leader familly of Kitamura-gumi (北村組, Kitamura-gumi^?). The yakuza gang was based in Omuta, Fukuoka, Japan, and was affiliated with Dojin-kai syndicate. The four family members murdered four people between 18 September and 20 September 2004, and were sentenced to deaths.

[edit] Summary

Mami Kitamura (北村真美, Kitamura Mami^?) had her husband Jitsuo Kitamura (北村実雄, Kitamura Jitsuo^?), her first son Takashi Kitamura (北村孝, Kitamura Takashi^?) and her second son Takahiro Kitamura (北村孝紘, Kitamura Takahiro^?). Jitsuo was the leader of Kitamura-gumi. Takashi was a son of Mami's former husband and had become Jitsuo's stepson. Mami's two sons were former sumo wrestlers. Takashi was a former sumo wrestler Kyokuryūjin (旭竜神, Kyokuryūjin^?).^[1] Takahiro was a former sumo wrestler Miikezan (三池山, Miikezan^?).^[2] They used the family name Ishibashi as sumo wrestlers.

Mami had borrowed money from a 58-year-old woman Sayoko Takami (高見小夜子, Takami Sayoko^?). On September 18, 2004, they strangled Sayoko and shot dead her 18-year-old son Tatsuyuki Takami (高見龍幸, Takami Tatsuyuki^?) and his 17-year-old friend Junichi Hara (原純一, Hara Jun'ichi^?). They put the victims in a car, which went into a river. On September 20, they strangled her 15-year-old son Joji Takami (高見穣吏, Takami Jōji^?).

The half naked body of Joji was found on September 21 and the police arrested Mami on September 22, and she confessed of killing other three. The police found the car. Jitsuo attempted to kill himself with a handgun, but it was unsuccessful. Takashi escaped from police once, but he was captured. Jitsuo insisted that he had killed them alone, but the police regarded Mami as a main offender.

They were disobedient even during their trials. On October 17, 2006, Mami and Takahiro were sentenced to deaths. Jitsuo and Takashi were also sentenced to deaths on February 28, 2007. On December 25, 2007, the Fukuoka high court upheld the original sentence for Mami and Takahiro, and then Takahiro screamed in the court, "Merry Christmas".^[3]