What Happened to Lucie Blackman? Who was Lucie Blackman?
by Mathelene
Updated Jul 27, 2023
What Happened to Lucie Blackman?
Lucie Blackman, a British woman, went missing on July 1, 2000, after going on a date with a customer in Tokyo, Japan. She made several calls to her friend Louise Phillips, who was also in Japan at the time. After the date, Louise received a call from an unknown man who claimed that Lucie had joined a cult and would never be seen or heard from again.
Concerned, Louise contacted Lucie's family, and they immediately flew to Tokyo to search for her. In an effort to raise awareness about Lucie's disappearance, her family launched a media campaign, and even then-Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged to address the issue with Japan's Prime Minister during a G8 summit.
About a month later, a Korean-Japanese property developer named Joji Obara became a suspect in the case. He admitted to meeting Lucie but denied any involvement in her disappearance. However, the investigation continued. Sadly, on February 9, 2001, seven months after her disappearance, Lucie's body was discovered buried in a cave near a beach, approximately 30 miles south of Tokyo.
Her body had been dismembered into 10 pieces and was severely decomposed, making it difficult to determine the exact cause of death at the time. In April 2001, Joji Obara was arrested in connection with Lucie's death, becoming a key suspect in the case. The legal proceedings against Obara would likely have followed after his arrest.
Who was Lucie Blackman?
Lucie Blackman was a 21-year-old British woman who went missing in 2000. Before her disappearance, she had worked as a flight attendant for British Airways but later decided to work at the Casablanca nightclub in Tokyo, Japan. While employed at the nightclub, Lucie engaged in a practice where she would go on paid dates with customers, accompanying them to dinner and then to the club.
Unfortunately, one of these dates, which took place on July 1, would be the last time Lucie was seen alive. Her mysterious disappearance shocked and deeply affected her family and friends. The case of Lucie Blackman's disappearance and subsequent tragic death has gained significant attention, and it is the subject of the Netflix documentary titled "Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case."
Where is Lucie Blackman from?
Lucie Blackman was a young woman from Sevenoaks, Kent, United Kingdom. At the age of 21, she tragically lost her life under brutal circumstances while working as a club hostess in Tokyo, Japan. Before her time in Tokyo, Lucie had been employed as a flight attendant for British Airways. However, she eventually made the decision to embark on a new adventure and took a job at the Casablanca nightclub in Japan.
In Tokyo, her work at the nightclub involved being a hostess, a role where she would accompany customers to dinner and then entertain them at the club. This practice was not uncommon in certain nightlife establishments in Japan, where hostesses provide companionship and conversation to patrons for a fee.
Where is Joji Obara now?
After the publicity surrounding Lucie Blackman's case, three women came forward with similar accounts of waking up in Joji Obara's bed with no memory of the previous night. Despite being reported to the local police several times, no further actions were taken at that time.
However, the police eventually connected the cases involving a man using the alias "Nishita" to Joji Obara. In October 2002, Obara was charged with drugging and killing Lucie Blackman. In 2007, Joji Obara was acquitted of Lucie's murder due to a lack of direct evidence. The verdict prompted criticism, and an appeal trial took place in March 2008.
During the appeal trial, Obara was found guilty and subsequently sentenced to jail for abducting Lucie, dismembering her body, and disposing of the remains. According to reports, Obara is believed to have committed sexual assaults on an alarming scale, potentially victimizing between 150 to 400 women in Japan.
He allegedly used the drug chloroform to incapacitate his victims during the attacks, and he would record his crimes on videotapes and maintain a diary documenting his actions, leading investigators to suspect the existence of numerous victims. Joji Obara remains in jail, serving his sentence for the crimes he was convicted of in relation to Lucie Blackman and other victims.
What Happened to Lucie Blackman - FAQs
Lucie Blackman was a 21-year-old British woman who went missing in Tokyo, Japan, on July 1, 2000.
Before her disappearance, Lucie had been working as a club hostess at the Casablanca nightclub in Tokyo, Japan. She had previously worked as a flight attendant for British Airways.
After going on a date with a customer on July 1, 2000, Lucie Blackman disappeared without a trace.
Lucie's body was discovered on February 9, 2001, approximately seven months after her disappearance. It was found buried in a cave near a beach about 30 miles south of Tokyo.
Yes, Joji Obara was also charged with the killing of Carita Ridgway in 1992 and the rape of eight other women. It is believed that he may have raped between 150 to 400 women in Japan.