TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An investigation into the death and dismemberment of an elderly woman in southern Taiwan was expanded Friday afternoon after an analysis of the crime scene revealed DNA from two other women, who are now also considered victims of the suspect in custody, per CNA.
The investigation began on Monday after a missing person report was made on behalf of the 71-year-old victim, surnamed Chao (趙). The next day, her body parts were discovered in a canal in Qianzhen District.
Police used CCTV cameras to track down a 73-year-old man surnamed Chang (張), who was arrested on Wednesday. During an inspection of Chang’s home, authorities discovered multiple bloodstains in one room of the house, and samples were sent to a lab for testing.
On Friday morning, it was reported that DNA from three different people had been found, with one victim confirmed to be Chao. Officers in Kaohsiung quickly made the connection to another missing person case; a 75-year-old woman surnamed Chang (張) from Zuoying District, who went missing before the start of the Lunar New Year holidays.
The woman’s children assumed their mother had taken a vacation and did not report her missing until Jan. 27. After forming a task force from three separate districts, police discovered that the female Chang was last seen in public on Jan. 17 about 300 meters from the suspect’s home, reported UDN.
On Friday afternoon, Kaohsiung Police Chief Lin Yan-tian (林炎田) held a press conference to confirm the identities of the three victims. The third blood sample was traced to the sister-in-law of the suspect’s older brother, a woman surnamed Huang (黃), who has been missing since Dec. 15, per CNA.
Police Chief Lin said the search for the missing bodies and other physical evidence will continue as detectives work to determine a motive. Chang remains in custody and his case has been sent to the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office.
