Police in Hualien yesterday arrested a 20-year-old man on suspicion of murdering a 76-year-old woman who raised him and allegedly stealing more than NT$100,000.
The man, surnamed Lee (李), was arrested early yesterday morning after the family of the woman, surnamed Yang (楊), found her dead in her living room in New Taipei City on Thursday.
An autopsy showed that Yang had been stabbed multiple times, including three times in the head, once in the chest and 18 times in the back, the New Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office said.
Photo: Wu Jen-chieh, Taipei Times
Lee reportedly told prosecutors that after he learned that Yang, with whom he had lived until last month, had NT$360,000 at home, he left his job early on Wednesday afternoon, bought a knife and confronted Yang about the money.
When Yang refused to answer his questions, Lee said he stabbed her multiple times, searched the house and stole about NT$100,000, before leaving for Hualien County, where he stayed with a friend, surnamed You (游), prosecutors said.
Friends and family of Yang said that Lee’s paternal grandmother was a close acquaintance of Yang, who she asked to care for Lee shortly after his birth, due to his father’s criminal history and as his mother had mental illnesses.
Yang raised Lee, but as he grew older, he spent most of his time playing online video games and began asking the family for money, they said, adding that he allegedly stole from them when they refused to comply.
Members of the Yang family had asked Lee to move out of the home in the middle of last month, but Yang, without their knowledge, arranged for Lee to rent a unit nearby, they said.
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