24-year-old Taiwanese man admits luring aspiring model to abandoned mall before raping and strangling her to death

A 24-year-old Taiwanese man lured a 22-year-old aspiring model to an abandoned mall with the promise of a photo shoot, but raped and strangled her to death, later dumping her body at the underground carpark of the shopping centre. 

The incident happened last Wednesday (Mar 1), at an abandoned mall on Bade Road, in Songshan District, Taipei, reports Lianhe Wanbao. 

What’s more chilling, the two were familiar acquaintances, and the deceased was a close friend to the girlfriend of the accused. 

In fact, the accused had invited her to the ‘shoot’ via his girlfriend.

After the deed, the accused took the deceased’s valuables, and fled to Tai Chung with his girlfriend before the two were arrested by the police. 

According to the police, the accused has a past record of sexual offences as well as cheating, is currently unemployed and has no fixed residency. 

Last Wednesday (Mar 1), the accused lured the victim with the promise of a shoot to the abandoned mall before raping her and strangling her to death with the straps of her handbag. 

He then dumped the body in the underground carpark below the mall and took all the deceased’s belongings, abandoning the deceased’s handbag at a Taipei MRT Rapid Transit Subway station while keeping her credit cards. 

The accused then fled to Tai Chung with his girlfriend and checked into a five-star hotel, using the stolen credit cards. 

He disposed of the victim’s phone at a secluded corner of the hotel. 

On Thursday (Mar 2) morning, a hotel employee found the phone.

Upon inspecting the phone, the employee grew suspicious as news of the gruesome murder had surfaced, and decided to call the police. 

Police officers arrived just in time and arrested the accused and his girlfriend just as they were about to leave. 

After being arrested, the accused admitted to the deed, citing that he had done so out of desperation for cash, and only intended to rob the victim initially.

He also claimed that he killed in order to silence the victim and did not sexually assaulted her.

However, police officers brought up evidence that the victim's body had been undressed, and her underwear were discovered a distance away.

It was then the man admitted to having raped the victim. 

He also claimed that his girlfriend was there with him the entire time, a claim refuted by her. 

His girlfriend denied taking part in the murder, and said that she had only invited the victim out on request by her boyfriend.