Japan's 'Black Widow' Dies on Death Row at 78

Chisako Kakehi, sentenced to death for poisoning elderly partners with cyanide, passed away in custody before her execution.

Chisako Kakehi, dubbed the 'Black Widow,' was convicted of murdering three elderly men, including her husband, and attempting to kill a fourth between 2007 and 2013.
She used cyanide disguised as health supplements to poison her victims, amassing nearly $9 million in inheritances and insurance payouts.
Kakehi, 78, was found unresponsive in her cell at the Osaka Detention Center and later pronounced dead at a hospital; the cause of death remains undetermined.
Her death sentence, upheld by Japan's Supreme Court in 2021, highlighted the calculated and cruel nature of her crimes, which targeted wealthy, childless men she met through dating agencies.
The case, which shocked Japan, drew significant public attention during her trial and sentencing, with Kakehi unsuccessfully seeking a retrial in recent years.