TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – On Wednesday (Oct. 26), human remains were found inside a barrel filled with concrete in Taichung. Although authorities are waiting for the results of a DNA test, more information has been revealed on the likely identity of the victim.

Police believe that the victim, a male in his 40s, is likely the previous boyfriend of the woman, surnamed Tsai (蔡), who leased the factory space. The man, surnamed Chen (陳), went missing at the age of 48, and was last seen on March 13, 2019, at an establishment where 33-year-old Tsai was working.

According to SETN, Chen was involved in violent altercations related to debt collection before his disappearance. When officers investigated the case back in 2019, Tsai was questioned and reportedly told officers “I don’t know where he ran off to.”

The body found inside the barrel, though badly decomposed and unrecognizable, roughly matches the height and body shape of Chen before his disappearance. Another similarity is the presence of a large tattoo on the upper back, reports SETN.



On Thursday (Oct. 27), Tsai was named as a person of interest in the case, which is still being investigated. Results from the DNA test to confirm the identity of the body should be released next week.