In 1981, Issei Sagawa , a 32-year-old student of comparative literature at the Sorbonne University, invited his Dutch classmate, Renée Hartevelt, to his apartment at 10 Rue Erlanger . Under the pretext of recording German poetry for a class assignment, he waited until her back was turned and shot her in the neck with a small-caliber rifle.
After several days, Sagawa realized the body would begin to decompose beyond recognition. His plan was not to disappear but to dispose of the remains in a remote lake. He purchased a large, dark-colored suitcase. He then methodically dismembered Hartevelt’s body using a small saw and kitchen knife, packing her limbs and torso into the suitcase. Her head was placed in a separate bag. issei sagawa suitcase
At the park, Sagawa attempted to dump the suitcases near a lake but was spotted by joggers who noticed blood leaking from the luggage. Panicked by the attention, Sagawa abandoned the bags and fled. In 1981, Issei Sagawa , a 32-year-old student
The "suitcase" element became the centerpiece of the police investigation. After several days, when the remaining portions of Hartevelt's body began to decompose, Sagawa packed them into two large suitcases. His plan was not to disappear but to
Sagawa's trial was highly publicized in Japan, with many expressing outrage at the brutality of the crime. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison.