Following the murder, the man assumed his wife's identity on social media and used her money to date other women
A Shanghai man is now appealing his death sentence after being convicted of murdering his wife and hiding her body in a freezer in their home for the following three months while he assumed her identity on social media and in text messages with her family.
On October 18th, 2016, 30-year-old Zhu Xiaodong strangled his wife, Yang Liping, 30, to death over what was described in court as “trivial” domestic arguments less than a year into their marriage.
Afterward, he wrapped Yang’s body up in a quilt and hid it inside of their freezer. There her body stayed for the next 105 days.
During this time, Zhu assumed his wife’s identity on WeChat, replying to text messages from her friends and parents who all apparently didn’t suspect a thing. Meanwhile, he used money from Yang’s bank accounts to take vacations and date other women.
Finally, on February 1st, 2017, Zhu was forced to turn himself in to police, knowing that he could no longer keep the charade going after Yang’s father had asked the couple over for a birthday dinner that night.
Back in August, Zhu was given the death penalty by the Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court, however, his defense team argues that his sentence should be reduced as he has shown regret and Yang’s murder was one of “impulse,” not premeditation.
However, prosecutors have said that the death sentence should be maintained, noting the extremely heinous nature of Zhu’s crime and the relaxed attitude he took afterward.
After stuffing his wife’s body in a freezer, Zhu had gone out for drinks with a friend. Additionally, on the day that he turned himself in, he first “recklessly squandered” money on “personal pleasure,” Shine reports.
Zhu’s appeals trial began on Thursday. The decision will be announced at a later date.
Meanwhile, the family of a Tianjin woman who was allegedly killed by her husband for 30 million yuan in life insurance money while on vacation in Thailand is currently attempting to get the man extradited back to China so it is more likely that he will be given the death penalty.
Source: shanghai.ist, December 13, 2018
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