Ebetsu university student murder: Defendant's intellectual disability revealed

In a trial regarding the fatal group assault of a 20-year-old university student in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, details emerged concerning the primary defendant, Yuto Kawaguchi. Medical experts testified that Kawaguchi, who was 18 at the time of the crime, has an IQ of 58, indicating a mild intellectual disability, and also suffers from mild hearing loss.

The incident occurred on the night of October 25, 2024, in a park where the victim was subjected to over two hours of continuous violence, including being beaten more than 100 times. The group involved included six males and females, many of whom were teenagers and had no prior acquaintance with the victim. Kawaguchi has received a sentence of life imprisonment for his role in the killing.