Lindsay Hawker’s family to travel to Japan for the 2nd anniversary
The family of teacher Lindsay Hawker are to travel to Japan to mark the 2nd anniversary of her death.
They are making the painful journey in a bid to appeal for help in finding her killer – the only suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi - remains on the run. It will be all the more poignant for Lindsay’s family as they arrive in Tokyo on Mother’s Day.
The beautiful 22-year-old from Brandon, Coventry, was brutally murdered after she taught private student Tatsuya Ichihashi in a coffee shop in the Chiba area of Tokyo on March 25 2007
Her battered body was found buried in a bath of sand on Ichihashi’s balcony, she had been brutally attacked and strangled. He escaped police and still remains on the run today.
Yesterday her devastated family said: “All four of us, Bill, Julia Lisa and Louise are returning to Japan, to mark the second anniversary of Lindsay's death. As a family, we know this is important because we want the Japanese people to know that Tatsuya Ichihashi has not been brought to justice for the terrible murder of our daughter and sister. We will remind them of the crime, and again make a public appeal for their help in bringing this man to justice and in trying to help the Japanese police capture this man.
“We will thank the police for all their efforts and also thank the Japanese people for all their support. We will emphasise that all potential sightings are followed up and that we believe one of these will eventually lead to his capture. We will confirm that the confidential hotline number is still operating and that all calls made to that number will be handled in the strictest confidence.
As a family, it is not just the horrific murder of Lindsay which remains with us every day, but the despicable way in which he attempted to dispose of her body. These are not the actions of a human being. To all intents and purposes he was going to continue living his life knowing that our beautiful daughter lay in a bath of sand on his balcony. What type of animal can do this? How can we be sure that he has not committed a similar crime before, or even go on to commit another?
We believe that people can run, as he did, but eventually you cannot hide. He will make a mistake again, or somebody who is protecting him will realise that this is not a person who deserves protection. He must understand, that this has been the biggest mistake he has ever made in his life, and that the Hawker family will not give up their fight until he is caught and made to pay for what he has done.
Japan may be a long way away, but people are the same the world over, and we know from messages of support that we have received, that this crime is condemned and that he is hated for what he has done the world over. He will never be free to live a normal life again.
Returning to Japan, is not a decision that the family have taken lightly. It is the hardest of things to do. But, we will continue to fight together, doing whatever we can, to ensure that he is caught and that we get justice for Lindsay."
For more information please log onto www.lindsayannhawker.com and for media enquiries contact Amanda Stocks at Exclusive Press & Publicity on 01689 819000.