finally, in 1948 at the age of 41, shiratori was exhausted, and after receiving a cigarette from a police officer, admitted that he was an escaped convict. the high court dismissed the murder allegation, and revoked his death sentence, instead sentencing him to 20 years in prison. he stayed in jail after that until he was paroled in 1961. he went to aomori prefecture in 1973, and he met with his daughter but he did not speak to her. he died of a heart attack in 1979. his ashes were taken by a woman who had cared for him.