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The Famous Cannibal Who Got Away with Murder
He found the perfect woman, then ate her.
Murder and rape are usually regarded as the vilest and violent crimes a human can do to another human. The shock and reality that people can sometimes be cruel and unforgiving grow with every story in the news. But sometimes, there are crimes committed that are even more unbelievable and extreme that it’s hard to imagine they were committed by a person.
One such crime is the one committed by Issei Sagawa on a Dutch woman named Renée Hartevelt. Luckily she was shot in the back of the neck and died quickly so she did not have to witness all the things Issei did to her. Issei decided to take Renée’s corpse and sexually assault it, mutilate it, eat parts of it raw and cooked, and dispose of it in suitcases. And despite being caught a couple of days later, he was released and lives off his fame as a cannibal.
Why did Issei have such urges? Why did he pick Renée? And most importantly, how did someone who is such a danger to society get only two years of punishment before going back to his regular life? This is the story of Issei Sagawa, a cannibal who is proud of his crime, makes money from his books and television appearances, and even talks of doing it again.
In order to understand the motive and mind of Issei, first, we need to know his background and history.
Issei’s life
“When I saw this woman in the street I wondered if I could eat her”
Issei Sagawa was born in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan on April 26, 1949. He was born into a wealthy family as his father was the CEO of a water company. He was born premature and was said to be tiny enough to fit in the palm of his father’s hand. Due to his prematurity, he suffered a disease called enteritis which affects the intestines. But with treatment, he was able to overcome the illness.
Issei recalled in his childhood, his brother and him would play a game with their father and uncle involving a monster who would hunt the children and cook them in…
