Japanese game company Famista will place the picture of a fugitive murder suspect in an upcoming PC game.

Sky News reports that Tatsuya Ichihashiis (far left) is wanted for the sadistic murder of Lindsay Hawker, a 22-year-old English tutor. Her body was found in the suspect's apartment in March. The young woman had been bound, strangled, and beaten over the course of a 36-hour ordeal.

Ichihashi's face, along with those of other wanted men, will appear in a slot machine game. Hitting the jackpot will reveal detailed information about the fugitives and explain how to report tips. Famista spokesperson Takashi Saito commented:

We thought this could be a new way to contribute to the community. There are many internet sites that display photos of those on the wanted list, but they are not necessarily visited frequently. By mixing it with entertainment, we thought we could make some contribution to the police efforts.

UPDATE: Sky News is now reporting that the family of victim Lindsay Hawker is upset about Famista's  plans to include information about her murder in the game. Julia Hawker, Lindsay's mother, said:

We have not been consulted about this - the first we heard about it was through the Sky News website and we are not happy about this. We have contacted the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and have asked them to contact the Japanese Police to find out what they know about it and why we have not been consulted.

I also want to know if this is a commercial venture, as if it is, then it is in extremely poor taste. The whole thing is distasteful and not befitting Lindsay's memory.

The family has established a website devoted to finding Lindsay's killer.

UPDATE 2: Big in Japan identifies the Famista offering as Slot Detective, a Pachinko-style game:

Famista have tried to justify the release of this machine by saying it is providing a valuable social service. This game, playable online, through your mobile phone or in pachinko parlours, will give information about the wanted people if you get a jackpot, the crimes they are suspected of and what to do if you see them (probably something along the lines of, “Just have one more gamble before you report them”).