TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A man accused of suffocating his wife, mother-in-law, and stepson in May was charged with murder and other offenses on Tuesday (Sept. 10).
The 24-year-old man surnamed Chang (張) is accused of suffocating his 30-year-old wife with a pillow as she slept in New Taipei’s Sanchong on May 1, per CNA. Prosecutors said Chang then strangled his 69-year-old mother-in-law in the early hours of May 2 and killed his three-year-old stepson at around 5 p.m. on the same day.
After remaining with the bodies for around four days, Chang fled to Taichung where he checked into a hotel using his father’s name to avoid detection, prosecutors said. After police were alerted to the mother-in-law’s absence, they arrested Chang at the hotel the next day on May 12.
Prosecutors said on Tuesday that they have concluded an investigation into the deaths, and charged Chang with homicide, child homicide, and other crimes. Chang will be tried for the crimes by a bench that includes citizen judges.
Prosecutors suspect Chang’s relationship with his wife had deteriorated at the time of the murder. He reportedly refused to provide any motives while under questioning, but confessed to committing murder and other crimes.
Prosecutors’ investigations found that Chang stole nearly NT$500,000 (US$15,545) and jewelry from his mother-in-law after the murder. Chang allegedly used the money for purchases and online gambling in the period between the murders and when he was caught.
