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Home Page > News > Memphis teen Richard Hinds confesses to Nicola Furlong’s Tokyo murder

Memphis teen Richard Hinds confesses to Nicola Furlong’s Tokyo murder

CCTV shows accused wheeling unconscious Wexford student into his hotel room

CATHY HAYES,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Saturday, June 16, 2012, 6:18 AM

Updated Saturday, June 16, 2012, 6:18 AM

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Murdered in Tokyo - 21-year-old Wexford student Nicola Furlong

Photo by Google Images

Richard Hinds has confessed to the murder of 21-year-old Irish exchange student Nicola Furlong in Tokyo on 24th May.

Richard Hinds (19) from Memphis, Tennessee was arrested on Thursday for strangling the County Wexford student who was on a university exchange in Japan. The American musician insists he did not mean to kill her.

The Japanese police say they believe Hinds killed Furlong when she refused his sexual advances, according to the Jiji Press. The accused said he pressed his hands around her neck but did not mean to kill her.

CCTV footage from the Keio Plaza Hotel, in Shinjuku, shows Hinds wheeling Furlong into his room in a wheelchair. Furlong appears to be unconscious. Police believe her drink may have been spiked. They are currently awaiting toxicology results.

Furlong’s body was found by a hotel employee near the bed in her room. Hinds was found standing close by. Kyodo news agency reported that there were no signs that anyone else had entered the room.

Earlier that evening Furlong and her friend, Sarah Maher (21), attended a Nicki Minaj concert. After the concert, the two Irish students took a taxi with Hinds, and his cohort James Blackston (23), an American dancer.

The two Americans had been held in custody previously under suspicion of plying the girls with alcohol and groping them inside the taxi. Both men have now been charged with sexually assaulting Maher.

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Fran Connor | Jun 19, 2012, 03:58 PM EDT

Put this piece of human excrement to sleep - in a humane way, of course. Harvest any usable organs for transplant, sell to the highest bidder, and give the proceeds to the girls family.

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SingleDonald | Jun 17, 2012, 06:50 PM EDT

My heart also goes out to Nicols'a family & friends. Yes, males of all ages should learn something which I learned early in life-to respect the female gender. However, I resent feminist inspired measures, which aim to protect women from themselves, at the cost of individual rights. "Dating bans", passed by some colleges & workplaces, are examples of this. To ask someone out is not "sexual harassment", regardless of the parties respective jobs, or ages. I am, of course, assuming that both parties are adults, or near age teens. If the lady declines, repeated attempts, in a college or workplace may lead to some counseling. However, it is downright intrusive & paternalistic to threated "discipline" over consensual dating! Fortunately, I understand that most of these "policies" are not acted upon, unless actual harassment takes place. I hate to think that the cure for sexual harassment may become worse than the disease!!

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bruce | Jun 17, 2012, 04:23 AM EDT

Nicolas' father better get back to JP with an Irish homicde investigator and a criminal Attorney or those Scumbags will get a Slap on the wrist.

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bruce | Jun 17, 2012, 04:18 AM EDT

Another piece low grade reporting.They did not go into the taxi with the scumbags.Witnesses have said they were pushed into the taxi.That is kidnapping!The video in the taxi shows both were COMATOSE while being sexually assualted.The hotel video shows Nicola comatose while being pushed in a wheelchair into the room.Death occuring during a crime drugging,kidnapping,raping is MURDER! He says he had no intent to kill her they only went out to drug.kidnap,rape and rob(extensive use of both of their credit cars. They people who sponsored the scumbags trip to Japan are their Guaranteur are are responsible for all actions and damages by the scumbags!The Keio Hotel broke Japanese law by allowing unregistered guests in the room at night.The Taxi driver is responsible for not calling the Police immediately. This should NEVER have happened.Only Scum from America. Google James Blackston on Tokyo subway. A Savage who thinks he can do anything.If he did that on a subway in the states he'd be DEAD! I moved here to escape those type of SCUM.

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ciarrai | Jun 16, 2012, 01:39 PM EDT

What a pity. My thoughts go out to Nicola's father and mother. So, this kid is a "Christian?" Imagine what the others of his lot are like without a shred of a moral compass. I pointed this case out to my own daughter as a means of helping her avoid these kinds of savages. He was strangling her, but he didn't mean to kill her? Tell it to the judge. I understand that Japanese prisons are not as tolerant of the malarkey that goes on in prisons in the USofA. I hope he gets to find out for a lot of years.

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PhlutiePhan | Jun 16, 2012, 11:24 AM EDT

A 19 year old "minority" teen from Memphis with a 23 yr old dancer. Where did the money come from to travel to Japan? They could have been part of the drug trade and were "sent on a trip". They had no respect for life. It seems to be a cultural trait that the Irish do not have. A bright life was snuffed out. Nevertheless, another case of women believing that they control their own destiny. They were targeted by thugs and there was no one there to protect them. Such is the way of the modern woman.

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hermitTalker | Jun 16, 2012, 10:57 AM EDT

The toxocology report will be interesting and not surprising as date rape with spiked drinks is well-known today with that age group. Men still see women as fair game for the, objects and so much of the culture from TV sitcoms to films pander to it. One can only imagine the destruction this has caused to Nicola's loving parents and her sister, they were so close emotionally and to her friend who was also violated. Seems she was fighting for her honour so we praise God for that character, lessson to all of her peers.

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