TOKYO (TR) – A court here last week sentenced a 37-year-old man to 20 years in prison in connection with the murder of a AV (adult video) actress four years ago, reports Jiji Press (Mar. 10).
At the Tokyo District Court on March 10, presiding judge Masataka Nakagawa handed Hiroyuki Sanpei the 20-year term for murder and abandoning a corpse.
According to the ruling, Sanpei murdered the 23-year-old woman from Bunkyo Ward and dumped her body in a forest in Hitachiota City, Ibaraki Prefecture, in June 2022.
“Although the motive and circumstances are unclear, it can be determined that the defendant killed [the victim] and abandoned the body,” judge Nakagawa said.
The 20-year term was what the prosecution had sought.
Hiroyuki Sanpei (X)
“Intent to kill”
During the hearings, Sanpei had maintained his innocence.
Judge Nakagawa pointed out that Sanpei was with the woman shortly before she disappeared. A forensic pathologist determined that the hyoid bone of the woman had been broken. This bone, located between the tongue and jaw, can only be damaged by strong force applied to the neck.
As a result, judge Nakagawa concluded that “the defendant killed her with strong intent to kill.”
Furthermore, the court condemned Sanpei for abandoning the naked body in the forest to conceal evidence. Judge Nakagawa said, “The crime was committed in a manner that trampled on the victim’s dignity. The perpetrator bears heavy criminal responsibility.”
Body of Rina Arano was found in a forest in Ibaraki Prefecture in 2022
AV actress
The victim is Rina Arano. She was an adult video actress who appeared in so-called “doujin AV,” which means uncensored videos available online. She was soliciting for jobs as a model and actress through social media.
Based on media reports from four years ago, Arano was last seen alive on June 5. A family member reported her missing three days later.
Also on June 5, security camera footage showed getting into a car with Sanpei at JR Mito Station in Ibaraki Prefecture. They had been communicating via Twitter before she went missing.
On June 18, her naked body was found caught in a tree about 2 kilometers from a villa owned by Sanpei. The site Nextshark received a statement from police that read: “Rina Arano was tied to a tree without clothes and has been dead for almost two weeks. We are still trying to determine the cause of death.”
The defendant said he handcuffed her briefly at the residence but later dropped her off at a store not far away.
Rina Arano (X)Arano in handcuffs
When investigators searched the residence, they found a mattress in the basement. They also found other items, which led them to conclude that a person was living there.
An examination of Sanpei’s phone revealed pictures of Arano in handcuffs. The defendant said that she had consented to being the subject of those photos.
A dash cam in the car included footage of Sanpei driving along a forest road near where Arano’s body was later found.
AloJapan.com