Crimes of Sunato Banda

Banda's Jane Doe

The Jones family from California, United States, was blessed with a bundle of joy in 1975. She was remembered as the bubbly and chirpy Charlotte Jones among her friends and family.

Charlotte was a gregarious lady who welcomed strangers with open arms. People loved her positive vibes and craved her company. Armoured with her magnetism and humour, she would have aced the role of a stand-up comedian. She was a fitness junkie and loved to present herself gracefully, which enforced her immense self-confidence.

Her dream since childhood was to travel to "The Land of the Rising Sun". Now that she was able to strike that dream from her bucket list, she was on cloud nine.

On that fine day, she planned to explore Chichibu in Saitama, a paradise on Earth. Unfortunately, luck seemed to abandon her side as she became a victim of a taxi scam. The driver suddenly claimed to have a malfunctioned meter. He asked her to pay an exorbitant amount. When Charlotte stood her ground, he kicked her out. As a result, she was stranded in the middle of nowhere with little access to help.

Cars passed after every 10 to 15 minutes, but nobody stopped to help her. After waiting an hour or two, an impressive-looking Toyota Prius slowed down and halted to her rescue. The driver was none other than the diabolic Sunato Banda. He started scrutinising every inch of her soul when he set his eyes on her.

Charlotte exclaimed with joy, "Thank goodness! I have been waiting for an eternity now. Nobody stopped except you. You are my saviour. Any chance you are heading towards Chichibu?"

Luckily for Charlotte, Banda was heading that way. They exchanged pleasantries, and she hopped into the vehicle.

Banda quizzed her about herself, which thrilled Charlotte. After all, she loved to talk about her life.

"I am blessed with two adorable cats. They chose me as their slave. One can't say no to their demands, can they? That's how cats are."

"I was dating my ex-husband since childhood. However, we split due to differences in our life goals. I am glad that we part ways on amicable terms. We still care about each other. I do meet him from time to time."

"I am super proud of my son, Mike Jones. He is only 15 years old and is already a great athlete. You will hear about him one day on TV. He will make it into the Olympics team. He has a bright future ahead. I am rooting for him."

After some time, the topic revolved around hitchhiking. Charlotte narrated how it was a popular mode of transport back in the United States in the 1970s.

"I remember when I was little, my dad and I would hop into a stranger's car and travel around. With God's grace, some of those strangers have become our life-long friends."

"By the time I was 10, we stopped hitchhiking since there was a proliferation of crimes. It has been a long time since I have hitchhiked. I am curious, why did you agree to offer me a ride? All you know, I might be dangerous. I could be a killer". Charlotte said the last sentence cheekily.

Banda responded, "The probability of two killers meeting via hitchhiking is astronomically low".

Charlotte seemed confused by his odd response. Banda eased the situation by smirking at her and winking seductively.

Charlotte burst out in laughter, "Oh my God! You got me there. I like your uncanny sense of humour, young man."

Banda: "Tell me! I wanna know, what brings you to Japan?"

Charlotte: "I love every aspect of Japan. I believe Japanese culture and tradition are something everyone should experience. It offered a different experience than in the west. Also, the other reason that motivated me to come to Japan is the handsome men here."

Charlotte said while eyeing Banda lustfully, "In fact, I am staring at my toy boy right now."

Banda replied, "Your toy boy, eh? How can an old woman like yourself satisfy a young man's sexual needs?"

Ouch! He rubbed salt in her wounds.

Charlotte defensively said, "Hey! Age is just a number. Have you ever experienced the charm of an older woman? Let me teach you a thing or a two."

She proceeded to give Banda a blowjob while he was driving.

Banda halted her, "Calm down, sexy! You don't wanna die here. Let's go to a more secluded area to have fun."

He drove towards a narrow lane near the Maesaka hiking area. He stopped the car after finding an ideal spot.

Before Charlotte was about to speak, Banda shushed her. He stared at her intently into her blue eyes. He could foresee her death. Charlotte, on the other hand, was sexually charged. In her mind, she thought they were going for a kiss.

"Come out of the car", Banda said out of the blue.

"Oooh!! He wants to do it out in the open. How kinky!" she thought.

As they got out, Banda announced, "I wanna play a game with you. I do not think you will ever get to fuck again."

Charlotte was let down. She managed to utter in confusion, "What do you mean? What is happening?"

Banda ominously said, "You remember, in the beginning, you joked about being a killer. In response, I said the possibility of two killers meeting via hitchhiking was low. Unfortunately for you, I was not joking."

Immediately, without warning, he delivered a powerful kick to her midsection. Charlotte collapsed to the ground and twitched from side to side. She was unable to decipher what had gone wrong in their previous conversation. Why was he doing this to her?

"Please take all my money. I want to live. I beg you." said the poor woman, who was paralysed with fear.

"Fine! I will let you live for now. I will count to 100 and hunt you again! So run!"

The countdown began.

Banda was admiring his six-inch hunting knife, which would be Charlotte's ticket to heaven.

Meanwhile, Charlotte barely managed to get up. She was now racing against time and was wobbling from side to side. She debated if she should run towards the forest or continue along the road.

If she continued along the road, he would catch up to her, and that was game over. But, usually, there would be a possibility to come across someone for help. But, in her scenario, she did not encounter anyone while they drove to that area. The probability of her encountering someone in the uninhabited area was nil. On the other hand, the forest could provide a place to hide even though it would slow her down.

Given her injury, she promptly decided to head towards the forest. She needed time to placate her injury. Gradually, she picked up the pace, but that was not enough as the predator bolted at an ungodly speed towards her. It seemed like the forest was his territory.

Poor Charlotte Jones had no chance. The poor lady would be known as a mere "Jane Doe" after a few days. The game was stacked against her the moment she met him. The pain in her midsection was intolerable, as Banda punctured every part of it. For Banda, killing her with the knife was more personal. A knife made it possible for him to feel his victim dying. It was like sex.

After taking Charlotte's life, Banda left the forest, located the car and drove off.

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Author's notes:

What will Banda do next? What will the detectives do next?