ABSTRACT:
It was a case in Japan’s Summer festival in the year 1998 where Masumi Hayashi mixed arsenic to a pot of curry with an intention of mass murder of the people in her neighbour-hood. It was planned to gain insurance benefits of those dead individuals by committing insurance fraud along with the murder. 4 people had died were 2 were children after consuming the curry and 63 people suffered acute arsenic poisoning. According to some people, this case also regarded as famous case with strong possibility of false accusation. This case was solved based on Forensic analysis of chemical substance.
KEY WORDS:
Masumi Hayashi, Japan, Summer Festival, Arsenic, insurance, false accusation, forensic analysis, chemical substance.
INTRODUCTION:
Wakayama is a city near the Osaka Kansai International Airport. In the year 1998 on 25th July during Japan’s Summer festival One of the two curry pots was poisoned during the cooking for the preparation and was served to the residents of Sonbe district, Wakayama. The curry was cooked in two pots in a garage of a festival organizer’s house and was cooked by the 2 housewives, of which one was put to boil in turn and after that it was shifted to the venue. The curry was poisoned with least 130 gms of arsenic which is enough to kill over 100 people. This curry was eaten by many people of which 4 had died and 63 people suffered. During investigation a told that she had seen Masumi walking around the curry pots like a bear.
This suspicion was as Masumi was angry with the people as they had shunned her and her husband. It was found that Masumi had records filled with criminal activity. Masumi worked as a insurance salesman and had been brought to court for insurance fraud in the past. The insurance company had also filed against them accusing them of fraud of worth 150 yen. With more investigation it was found Masumi had past attempts to poison other people and tried to collect the money on behalf of the dead.
EFFECT:
4 people had died were 2 were children after consuming the curry and 63 people suffered acute arsenic poisoning. In the incident 64-year-old Takatoshi Taninaka and 53-year-old Takaaki Tanaka (council president and vice president of Wakayama, respectively), 10-year-old Hirotaka Hayashi, and 16-year-old Miyuki Torii were killed.
EVIDENCES:
From Hayashi house eight kinds of arsenic oxide were obtained as evidences. Following things were collected as source of evidences: (1) Paper cup, (2) M’s green 50-kg can, (3) M’s milk can, (4) M’s white can was marked “Heavy”, (5) M’s brown Tupperware, (6) A milk can found at H’s old (7) A plastic container found at H’s kitchen, but a few particles of arsenic powders were attached on the inner surface of the container, and (8) arsenic oxide crystals found in curry pot.
FORENSIC ANALYSIS:
The arsenic in Masumi’s household matched with that in the curry. Hayashi’s hair was analysed and 90 ppb Arsenic was found in her hair. The arsenic intake was authorized by the arsenic analysis of urine. The forensic analyses on Wakayama arsenic poisoning incidence have characteristic that SPring-8 a largest synchrotron radiation facility was used. All these conclusion were drawn based on chemical analysis.
TRIAL AND PUNISHMENT:
Masumi’s husband was charged with 6 years of jail sentence during trial. Mrs. H, was arrested on October 4 and prosecuted as the murder on December 29. Masumi was sentenced to death in 2002 by the Wakayama district court. On 28th June 2005 Osaka High Court upheld her death sentence as it was based on circumstantial evidences. On April 21, 2009 supreme Court of Japan rejected her final appeal. In July 2009, She formally petitioned for retrial which was rejected by Wakayama District court in March 2017. Then she appealed to Osaka High court in April 2017 which was also rejected. Another petition was filed in June 2021.
IMPACT OF THE CASE:
As a result on June 9, 2021, Masumi's 37-year-old daughter jumped off a bridge at Kansai Airport, killing herself and her 4-year-old daughter. Her 16-year-old daughter was found bludgeoned to death earlier the same day.
CONCLUSION:
Although some refers to this case as case of false allegation. But there was only circumstantial evidence based on which Masumi was arrested. She was also sentenced to death but later it was upheld by the court. Currently she is awaiting the death penalty in Japan.
Author:
Ms. Pritha Kundu,
Volunteer,
Applied Forensic Research Sciences (AFRS).
