Hawker's parents think suspect Ichihashi has support, renew appeal

Friday 22nd August, 04:17 PM JST

LONDON —

Seventeen months after their daughter was tortured to death in a Tokyo apartment, William and Julia Hawker believe someone must be shielding prime suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi given the lack of any positive sightings from the public.

The parents of Lindsay Hawker, whose body was found March 26, 2007, say that despite police continuing to receive many reports of Ichihashi in various locations all over Japan, none of the sightings has come to anything.

They renewed their appeal for anyone with information to come forward to police.

‘‘My daughter was horribly murdered,’’ a tearful William Hawker recently told Kyodo News. ‘‘I don’t want the people of Japan to forget that.’‘

‘‘Please do not forget our Lindsay. She was a lovely girl,’’ he said. ‘‘She met evil and our lives have been ruined.’‘

Lindsay Hawker, 22, was teaching English in Tokyo when she met Ichihashi. Her body was found at his apartment in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, and it is thought she was beaten for up to 36 hours.

Ichihashi managed to flee from police who were sent to his apartment and, despite numerous media appeals and wanted posters adorning many police stations, the trail appears to have gone cold.

‘‘We get weekly bulletins which say much the same,’’ William said at his home near Coventry, central England. ‘‘There are still a great deal of sightings but they seem to lead to nothing.’‘

‘‘Each week we hope for a more significant breakthrough. We are very disappointed and down that he hasn’t been caught. But we do believe that the police are doing all they can.’‘

There have been hundreds of sightings of Ichihashi all over Japan and in other countries but, so far, they have borne no fruit.

Ichihashi, who had no job and was supported by his parents, is originally from Gifu Prefecture.

William said the police tend to keep things close to the vest but have said it is possible that Ichihashi could still be in the Tokyo area. His height—at 180 centimeters—makes him distinctive and it is thought that he may disguise himself to evade detection.

Hawker’s parents are convinced that Ichihashi is alive somewhere in Japan or possibly overseas and is receiving assistance.

‘‘I don’t think he could have evaded capture for 17 months unless he was being helped by someone close to him,’’ William said.

‘‘We are very much reliant on the Japanese public,’’ said Lindsay’s mother, Julia. ‘‘It could take just one sighting to bring him to justice.’‘

‘‘There is still a substantial number of sightings coming in from all over Japan. People are also phoning the hotline,’’ she said.

Julia said she finds it hard to cope with the fact that Ichihashi is still on the run 17 months after the murder, particularly when she sees other murder cases sometimes resolved within a matter of weeks.

Lindsay told her Japan was a very well organized and regulated country, and she struggles to square this with Ichihashi having been able to evade capture so long.

Julia says she was upset that Ichihashi’s family merely expressed ‘‘regret’’ for her daughter’s death, and wanted them to issue a more fulsome apology.

Despite the lack of success in the murder investigation, Hawker’s parents say they will go on fighting for justice, whatever it takes.

‘‘I will not give up,’’ William said. ‘‘I’m prepared to do everything that’s needed.’‘

More information on the family’s efforts to track down Ichihashi can be found at the website lindsayannhawker.com. Anyone with information on his whereabouts can call the special hotline in Japan set up by the family’s supporters at 03-6688-7677.

Kyodo

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Latest 15 of 39 Total Comments Show All

northlondon at 02:21 AM JST - 23rd August

Allied,

Thanks. He should be respectful to the soul of that poor girl.
AlliedForces at 02:24 AM JST - 23rd August

northlondon; Well said. These mealy mouthed little wimps can only act tough behind a PC. I was born and grew up in South Norwood, South london, guys like him would get battered.

Ichihashi should have his poster everwhere, where are the cops looking for him? Her parents will probably never get justice, very sad indeed.
pathat at 02:27 AM JST - 23rd August

"I meet Japanese guys like you every day of my life here. Trying to stare me down, or cheap little barges on the trains, or girly little comments in Japanese behind my back. Unfortunately I'm from a city which doesn't take much sht from anyone. I was brought up in a world of acting like a man. Unfortunately Japanese guys don't like me because I have never taken any sht in the 9 years I have lived here. Now go back to trimming your eyebrows with the rest of them."

Nice comment, northlondon.
AlfGarnett at 02:31 AM JST - 23rd August

I cannot believe all this. What is happening in Japan. How can the old bill not be able to find this vile pig. These poor parents know how much their daughter suffered and some geezer who says he is Japanese says bad thingson ere. I thought Japanese people wasnt like that anymore, seems like i was wrong innit. I hope this scum is captured and the parents can see some good old fashioned justic. String him up!!!
Badsey at 06:29 AM JST - 23rd August

with all the cameras around eventually he will be found -as the police said they have literally hundreds of possible sightings of this guy.
himasan at 07:52 AM JST - 23rd August

This case wasnt taken lightly because the victim was foreign, Japanese police incompetence doesnt discriminate.
majimekun at 08:59 AM JST - 23rd August

Some of you guys don't think very much.

It is highly possible that the guy has cut every bond with his family and that he lives at someone's place without the need to go outside, which is very easy in Japan.

In that case, it is simply impossible to find him. Otherwise the cops would have to look into every single house of the country.
AlliedForces at 09:17 AM JST - 23rd August

majimekun

If he is being hidden, then it must be by someone who already knew him, otherwise he couldn`t just vanish. Somone or some people know his whereabouts. He must be getting finances from somewhere to live. There must be a few low lifes who know where he is, but are not reporting him to the cops.
majimekun at 09:32 AM JST - 23rd August

AlliedForces Your asumptions are simplist at best.

After his escape, he could have met someone willing to help him. Someone he had never met before. Such things happen. Never heard of women who fall in love with guys who have commited crimes on other women?

As for the money, it's even possible that he doesn't have to pay for anything.
AlliedForces at 09:33 AM JST - 23rd August

Should say many men, not most. Who would pay for this creep to live, only another criminal complicite in assisting a murderer.
Alphaape at 11:50 AM JST - 23rd August

Does Japan have a show similar to "America's Most Wanted"? True he could have cut all ties with his family, but let's look at this logically. He was a rich guy, nothing wrong with that. From what I have read, he has never worked in his life before. A playboy type if you will. So, what skill will he bring to the table in order to get a job to stay alive? Coming from a life of luxury to one of hiding, I am sure he probably could not cope.

If he has remained hidden for so long, I only hope that he at least did the right thing and ended his own life. He is proably buried somewhere, and if so, I would imagine that his family proably knows where. Just watch what they do during obon and you probably would find his remains if he is dead.
WilliB at 01:46 PM JST - 23rd August

Alphabee: They do have that show, and I believe he`s been on it.
WilliB at 03:12 PM JST - 25th August

Badsay:

" with all the cameras around eventually he will be found "

Screw the cameras. Obviously, the key to find him are his wealthy and well connected parents. But don´t expect any action there.
MeanRingo at 09:02 PM JST - 26th August

Badge wrote about being "on the other side of media and public criticism" but since when have foreigners complaining about a terrible job on the part of the police constituted public criticism? And the media??? That story died a couple days after the a-hole outwitted the keystones. A public shaming is not something that stays in the news round Japan. Ignore, ignore, ignore and finally deny. I really don't think Japan (great big broad stroke) gives a rats ass about catching this guy.
NuckinFutz at 07:52 AM JST - 29th August

He is being sheltered ... by the lack of concern by an incompetent police force and a sham of a judicial system.