Appeal to murder suspect's family

The family of a Warwickshire teacher found dead in Japan have written to relatives of her suspected killer to urge them for help in tracing him.

Tatsuya Ichihashi, 30, is suspected of killing 22-year-old Lindsay Ann Hawker, from Brandon, in 2007.

Police in Japan have offered a 10m yen (£63,397) reward for information.

A spokeswoman for the Hawker family said the letter urged Mr Ichihashi's family to make a public appeal for him to come forward.

The letter, which was delivered to a British Embassy in Japan on Monday, followed another one which was sent last year, the spokeswoman said.

She added Mr Ichihashi's family had not responded.

"We are hoping that whoever is helping him now will think 'well for 10m yen it's worth giving him up'"

Ms Hawker's father, Bill, said there were "no new leads" but he hoped the new reward would "perhaps encourage people".

Mr Hawker said: "Somewhere along the line he's (Mr Ichihashi) had to have received help.

"We are hoping that whoever is helping him now will think 'well for 10m yen it's worth giving him up'."

Body in bathtub

Ms Hawker was found in a bathtub filled with sand in an apartment near Tokyo in March 2007.

She went missing after giving Mr Ichihashi an English lesson.

He escaped as detectives arrived at his apartment.

Mr Hawker claimed Mr Ichihashi was "a loner" and "had no friends".

He said: "He had very little contact with his family, apart from the allowance they gave him.

"He didn't work. He just lived on his own in his own life."

Mr Hawker said the family was in regular contact with police in Japan and Warwickshire Police have provided support.

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