Male College Student Involved in Sugar-Daddy Relationship Killed by His “Daddy”

On March 18, the Chiba District Court held a jury trial for the murder of a man accused of stabbing a male college student to death in a house in Ichikawa City last May, and Judge Noriki Ando sentenced the man to 17 years in prison (20 years in prison).

He had sexual relations with a male university student who was engaged in sugar-daddy’s business.

Yoichiro Saito, 37, a truck driver, was indicted on charges of murder and preliminary arson for attempting to set fire to a house after stabbing a college student, (Mr. A, 21), to death with a petty knife on May 10, 2011. At the time of his arrest, it was reported that the two were in an “acquaintance relationship,” but the trial revealed that Saito had more feelings toward Mr A. than he knew.

According to the opening statement, Mr. A was dressed up as a woman and went on dates with him for money. The defendant had sexual relations with him and gave him money. The defendant, who originally had a wife and children but had been feeling depressed and drinking more after the divorce, found the victim a source of emotional support.

There was no dispute that the incident was triggered by Mr. A telling the defendant that he had insulated himself from him. However, the prosecution claimed in its opening statement that “the defendant became desperate and committed the crime. The defense, on the other hand, argued that he stabbed Mr. A suddenly while attempting to burn himself to death and that he was in a state of insanity at the time of the crime.

According to the defendant during questioning, the encounter was not on a social networking site, but at a roadside station.

“I enjoyed motorcycling then I met the victim at a roadside station in 2020. The victim was dressed as a woman and I thought he was an interesting guy. On January 3 of the following year, we drank together, discussed things in depth, and in that short span of time we began to have a physical relationship. The victim was always dressed as a woman.”

After meeting with Mr. A multiple times, the defendant not only gave him money, but also a motorcycle and one million yen.

 

This was money he made by selling Pokemon cards, after Mr. A told him that he would sell his body because he had no money. At the time, the defendant had several women with whom he had physical relationship, and he said that his feelings toward Mr. A had changed, saying, “At first it was love, but then I began to think that friendship would be okay,” but he was suddenly told that he was insulated from him, that’s  why the incident occurred.

“I went to the victim, thinking of killing myself, then I found the victim lying on the ground.”

Do you really have no memory of the time of the crime? At the trial, the doctor who conducted a brief psychiatric evaluation of the defendant appeared as a witness, and his interview with the doctor also revealed what the defendant had said about the incident.

He said, “Not only was he shocked when the victim told him that she was ending their relationship, but he was also shocked that a mutual acquaintance of theirs took the victim’s side. He also said that he had always had vague thoughts of ‘wanting to die’ when he was depressed, but on the day of the incident, it was as if a switch had been flipped and he really wanted to die” (doctor’s testimony).

He then said, “I went to the victim’s house with a knife and gasoline and killed him when I saw him, even though I was supposed to be the one who wanted to die. He told the doctor that he then covered himself with gasoline as well, but he could not light it with a lighter, and he suddenly came to himself, thinking that there might be other people in the building. As to whether he was mentally disturbed at the time of the crime, he concluded that he was not.

He said he dreamed he was being stabbed.

He was very protective of the victim. I thought it would be a great disappointment to have that betrayed and to be put in the position of a victim by an acquaintance whom he trusted. To put it simply, he must have been really pissed off. But when he woke up, I think he came to his senses.”

The defendant claimed to have no memory of the stabbing, but during the defendant’s questioning, he said, “I dreamt about the incident, and I dreamt that the victim and I switched places and I was stabbed. …… I made him feel such fear. I am so sorry,” he said, expressing his remorse in a quick whisper, and revealed that he dreamt that he was being stabbed. In the dream, was he able to reenact the incident, which he should have had no memory of, while switching roles?

Mr. A’s body had no defensive wounds and numerous stab wounds on his back and other parts of his body. The prosecution stated in its argument, “It is impossible to describe the fear and pain of being attacked so suddenly. The victim’s decision to insulate herself from the attack was the trigger, but it was caused by the defendant’s words and actions, such as interfering in the victim’s friendships.” The court, however, sentenced the defendant to 17 years in prison, saying, “It is understandable that being told to insulate herself caused her great distress, but there is no room for justification. The defense’s argument that the defendant was mentally incompetent at the time of the crime was not accepted.