Man Sentenced to Death for Triple Murder, Ordered to Pay Millions in Compensation

A 24-year-old man, Zhang Hong-yi, has been sentenced to death for the brutal murders of his wife, mother-in-law, and 3-year-old stepson in Taiwan. The New Taipei District Court handed down the death sentence, marking the first such verdict since Taiwan's national judges system commenced in 2023. The case is currently under appeal.

According to the investigation, Zhang confessed to killing his wife, Chen, by smothering her with a pillow while she slept on the night of April 30, 2024. He then proceeded to kill his mother-in-law the following morning, believing she was the cause of his wife's unhappiness. Later that afternoon, he murdered his stepson, strangling the child for several minutes to facilitate his escape. Zhang also stole over NT$570,000 from his mother-in-law's bank accounts and used her credit card for online dating services and online gambling.

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The motive is despicable, the means of committing the crime can be described as 'torture killing,' treating human life as worthless.

Following the murders, Zhang kept the bodies for several days before attempting to flee to Taichung with his dog. He was apprehended by police within 17 hours of the initial report. The victims' family, including Chen's sister and another child, filed a civil lawsuit seeking over NT$5.9 million in damages.

The court found Zhang showed no remorse, even stating he would kill his mother-in-law again during psychological evaluations. His overall risk of re-offending was assessed as "medium." The court cited the "most severe criminal circumstances" as defined by constitutional rulings, noting the victims included an elderly person and a child, and the extreme cruelty of the methods used. The civil court subsequently ordered Zhang to pay the requested NT$5.9 million in compensation, covering funeral expenses, support costs, and emotional distress.

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The defendant showed no remorse or guilt after the crime, and even said during the evaluation that he regretted nothing and would still kill his mother-in-law.