The Cannibal Who Walked Free: Issei Sagawa's Twisted Life

Tonight’s episode is one of the most disturbing and infuriating stories I’ve ever covered — and trust me, that’s saying something. This is the case of Issei Sagawa, a man who murdered and cannibalized his classmate, Renée Hartevelt… and somehow, walked free. No jail time. No real consequences. Instead of punishment, he became a literal celebrity in Japan, writing books, giving interviews, and even starring in a film. Yes, really. We’ll dive into the horrific crime itself, the international legal failure that allowed him to escape justice, and the deeply unsettling media circus that followed. We’ll also explore how racism, fetishization, and misogyny played into the way Sagawa saw Renée — not as a person, but as a symbol to consume. This case isn’t just about a shocking murder. It’s about the systems that failed a victim, glorified a killer, and retraumatized a grieving family for decades. 🔪 Warning: This episode contains graphic discussion of cannibalism, necrophilia, and violence. Sources: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-06-28-mn-2009-story.html https://www.vice.com/en/article/whos-hungry-502-v16n1/ https://nypost.com/2018/10/20/issei-sagawa-the-cannibal-who-became-a-folk-hero-in-japan/ Follow me here: ► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/ ► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/ ► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/ ► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik *Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper * I will be in London at CrimeCon UK and I would love to meet you! Use my discount code NAPPER10 for 10% off the ticket price! Visit https://www.crimecon.co.uk/Our Sponsors:* Check out Mood.com and use my code SERIALNAPPER to save 20% off your first order. https://mood.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices