Case 107
Lucie Blackman & Carita Ridgway
In early 2001, 21-year old Lucie Blackman left her job as a flight attendant for British Airways in search of new adventures. She embarked on a working holiday to Japan, where she secured a job as a hostess at Club Casablanca in Tokyo’s bustling Roppongi district. Lucie struggled with the transition, writing in her diary: “I’m not coping well here. I can’t pull myself out of this hole I’ve fallen into… I just want to disappear.”
A month later, Lucie left for a private dohan date with a customer and never returned. Police palmed it off as western wanderlust, but Lucie’s loved ones weren’t convinced. When two witnesses come forward to report some disturbing behaviour, the investigation suddenly takes a grisly turn.
CREDITS
EPISODE:
Research & writing – Catherine Seccombe/Arcdive
Editing – Elsha McGill
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
BOOKS:
People Who Eat Darkness: The Fate of Lucie Blackman – Richard Lloyd Parry
ARTICLES:
Lucie Blackman timeline – Metro
Lucie Blackman murder case: Timeline – The Telegraph
Tokyo Vice extract: Behind the Lucie Blackman story – The Telegraph
101 things to do in Roppongi – TimeOut
Tokyo Roppongi｜Roppongi Station Area Map & Sightseeing Information – Live Japan
Roppongi: from ashes to ‘High Touch Town’ – The Japan News
Lucie Blackman, the dark world of Tokyo nightclub hostessing, and the man who made her an offer she couldn’t refuse – Daily Mail
A rapist’s lair and a head entombed in concrete… concluding our gripping series on Lucie Blackman – Daily Mail
Sevenoaks girl who hoped to spin blonde to gold – The Guardian
Why I took ‘100 million pieces of silver’ for my daughter’s death – The Guardian
A Father’s Betrayal – Daily Mail
Blackman sister attacks mother, calls her venomous – The Japan Times
Tim Blackman: For the first time since Lucie was killed I feel emotionally stable again – Daily Mail
A look back at the murder of a British bar hostess in Tokyo – Crimefeed
Exclusive: A mother’s worst nightmare – Daily Mail
He is ‘immoral and appalling’: Lucie Blackman’s mother slams her ex-husband – Daily Mail
The tragic tale of a Tokyo hostess – ABS News
Glitter Girls: Young Canadian women are lured by gifts and glitz to play hostess in Japan’s night world – Pacific Rim
Following in Lucie’s footsteps – Wales Online
Ex-Met officer joins hunt for Lucie – The Telegraph
Grim secret of man in Armani who chatted up Lucie Blackman – The Guardian
A tale of rape, murder and a Japanese playboy – The Age
The ‘beast with a human face’ – BBC News
Police report Obara-Blackman link – The Japan Times
Family blame police as daughter’s killer jailed for 15 years – The Age
Joji Obara – Murderopedia
Lucie Blackman, Joji Obara and me – The Times
Remains May Belong to Bar Girl – The Washington Post
Trial by jury returns to Japan – The Guardian
People Who Eat Darkness: The Fate of Lucie Blackman by Richard Lloyd Parry – The Times
Lay judges in Japan – Wikipedia
‘Glorious’ Lucie laid to rest – BBC News
Lucie’s family put aside the pain to say farewell – The Telegraph
A verdict that caused widespread consternation – The Guardian
Rapist cleared of killing Lucie Blackman – The Telegraph
Japanese businessman acquitted over Lucie Blackman murder – The Guardian
Joji Obara convicted of abducting and mutilating Lucie Blackman – The Telegraph
Lucie’s mother weeps as serial killer is found guilty of kidnap – Evening Standard
Lucie’s mother heartbroken by verdict – Birmingham Post
‘Evil conman’ took £15,000 off Lucie Blackman’s family – The Telegraph