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{{Short description|1999 murder in Hong Kong}}
{{Protection padlock|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{expand Chinese}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Hello Kitty murder case
| image = [[File:HK TST night 嘉連威老道 Granville Road Walk up building 01 shops.JPG|200px]]
| caption = No. 31 Granville Road, [[Tsim Sha Tsui]], where the murder took place.{{efn|The building involved is four stories high, with two units on each floor. The first to second floors are shops and the third to fourth floors are residential buildings. The right unit in the picture is Block A and the left unit is Penthouse B. The murder occurred on the third floor Block B. The building was demolished in 2012 and rebuilt into Soravit on Granville in 2016.}}
| location = '''Kidnapping:''' Fu Yiu House, [[Lai Yiu Estate]], [[Kwai Chung]], [[Hong Kong]]<br>'''Murder:''' No. 31, 3rd Floor, Block B [[Granville Road]], [[Tsim Sha Tsui]], Hong Kong
| date = {{start date|1999|3|17}} to {{Date range|1999|4|14|1999|4|15}}
| type = [[Torture murder]] causing [[traumatic shock]], [[kidnapping]], [[rape]], [[decapitation]]
| victim = Fan Man-yee (樊敏儀), aged 23
| perpetrators = {{plainlist|
*Chan Man-lok (陳文樂)
*Leung Wai-lun (梁偉倫)
*Leung Shing-cho (梁勝祖){{efn|A fourth participant, 14-year old Ah Fong (阿芳, real name Lau Ming-fong) [[Turn state's evidence|testified against the other three perpetrators]] in exchange for [[Legal immunity|immunity]].}}
}}
| motive = Inconclusive; possibly [[Everyday sadism|sadism]]
| weapons = Metal pipes, kitchen utensils, hot wax, melted plastic, spices
| verdict = [[Guilt (law)|Guilty]] of [[manslaughter]]
{{Infobox event
| title =
| child = yes
| sentence = [[Life imprisonment]] with the possibility of [[parole]] after 20 years<br/>'''Leung Shing-cho:'''<br/>[[Commutation (law)|Commuted]] to 18 years in prison
}}
| notes = Case Number: CACC 522/2000
}}

The '''Hello Kitty murder case''' ({{zh|c=Hello Kitty藏屍案|j=Hello Kitty cong4 si1 ngon3|l=Hello Kitty hidden body case|cy=Hello Kitty chòhng sī ngon}}) took place in [[Hong Kong]] in the spring of 1999, when a [[nightclub]] hostess was [[kidnapping|abducted]] in [[Lai Yiu Estate]], tortured and raped in an apartment in [[Tsim Sha Tsui]], [[Kowloon]], after stealing a wallet owned by one of her frequent customers.

Fan Man-yee ({{zh|t=樊敏儀|j=Faan4 Man5 ji4|labels=no|cy=Fàahn Máhn-yìh}}, 23) was held captive by three men and one girl before dying between 14 and 15 April 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-11 |title=The Sickening Details Behind the Hello Kitty Murder Case |url=https://the-line-up.com/undefined |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=The Lineup |language=en}}</ref> Her body was [[decapitation|decapitated]] and her skull was sewed inside a [[Hello Kitty]] mermaid [[plush]].<ref name=":0" />

==Background==
Born in 1976 in [[Shenzhen]], Fan Man-yee was abandoned by her family as a child, resulting in her being raised in an all girls' [[orphanage]] in [[Ma Tau Wai]]. When she turned 15, she was told to leave the orphanage because they had an age restriction. Becoming homeless and [[drug addiction|addicted to drugs]], Fan was [[Prostitution in Hong Kong|forced into street prostitution]], and at age 21 began working at a [[brothel]] named Romance Villa, located in [[Sham Shui Po]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Serena|first=Katie|date=30 April 2018|title=The Story Of Hong Kong's Notorious "Hello Kitty Murder"|url=https://allthatsinteresting.com/hello-kitty-murder|access-date=23 January 2022|website=All That's Interesting}}</ref> Fan eventually married one of her clients, a fellow drug addict named Ng Chi-yuen ({{zh|t=吳志遠|p=Wú Zhìyuǎn|labels=no}}), in 1996. She gave birth to their son two years later in November 1998, roughly five months before her murder.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Fan's husband was described as [[domestic abuse|abusive]] and neighbors in their [[Mong Kok]] apartment building would report being awakened by sounds of the couple's fights and the child's screaming and crying.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://lightsonpod.medium.com/hello-kitty-murders-f5bf00d3e681 |title=Hello Kitty Murders |date=29 September 2021 |author=Eliza}}</ref> Upon her pregnancy and then the birth of her son, Fan decided to turn her life around in order to protect her son and provide him a safer life. She quit drugs and prostitution, got a job as a hostess at a nightclub named Empress Karaoke Club, and eventually left her violent husband shortly before her murder. Due to these sacrifices, she had a much lower income and struggled to support herself and her family.<ref>{{Cite web |last=crimetheoriespodcast_grsdx5 |title=Hello Kitty Murder – Crime Theories Podcast |date=26 July 2020 |url=https://www.crimetheoriespodcast.com/hello-kitty-murder/ |access-date=18 August 2022}}</ref>

==Kidnapping==
[[File:Fan_Man-yee.jpeg|thumb|right|Fan Man-yee, the Hello Kitty murder victim|223x223px]]
Chan Man-lok ({{zh|t=陳文樂|p=Chén Wénlè|j=can4 man4 lok6|labels=no}}, alias Ah Lok or Ah Hsi, born 17 May 1965), a 33-year-old [[Wo Shing Wo]] [[triad (organized crime)|triad]] member who had exhibited problematic behavior since middle school and had previous convictions for [[drug trafficking]] (in 1991),<ref name="raid"/><ref name="sentence">{{cite news|last1=Maio|first1=Wincy|last2=Shao|first2=Eric|title=Sentences confirmed by court|work=South China Morning Post|date=13 December 2000|page=3}}</ref> was one of Fan's regular clients at the brothel.{{cn|date=April 2024}} In early 1999, Fan stole Chan's wallet, which contained about [[Hong Kong dollar|$HK]]4,000 (roughly [[United States dollar|US$]]500).<ref name=":0"/> When Chan realized what had happened, he demanded Fan return the money in addition to a fee of $HK10,000. Although Fan immediately returned the stolen money, she needed more time to secure the additional fee.

On 17 March 1999, Fan was [[kidnapping|abducted]] by three men and one girl at her flat in the Fu Yiu section of [[Lai Yiu Estate]]: Chan; his [[child grooming|grooming victim]] Lau Ming-fong<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://vlex.hk/vid/hksar-v-chan-man-845286061 |title=Chan Man |access-date=1 January 2023 |archive-date=1 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101145332/https://vlex.hk/vid/hksar-v-chan-man-845286061 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ({{zh|t=劉明芳|p=Liú Míngfāng|j=lau4 ming4 fong1|labels=no}}, alias Ah Fong, 14), Leung Wai-lun ({{zh|t=梁偉倫|p=Liáng Wěilún|j=loeng4 wai5 leon4|labels=no}}, alias Gangsta 1, 21), and Leung Shing-cho ({{zh|t=梁勝祖|p=Liáng Shèngzǔ|j=loeng4 sing3 zou2|labels=no}}, alias Gangsta 2, possibly 26, boyfriend of Lau). The group took Fan to an apartment at No. 31 Granville Road, [[Tsim Sha Tsui]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lam|first=Tiffany|date=3 December 2011|title=Haunted Hong Kong: Read if you dare {{!}} CNNGo.com|url=http://www.cnngo.com/hong-kong/play/haunted-hong-kong-read-if-you-dare-060414#ixzz1NkIBfCRJ|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203155519/http://www.cnngo.com/hong-kong/play/haunted-hong-kong-read-if-you-dare-060414#ixzz1NkIBfCRJ|archive-date=3 December 2011|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref> where they imprisoned her for a month. The apartment was rented by Chan himself, but was owned by two men referred to as '''Ah Sam''' and '''Ah Kao''', who were not involved in gang activities. Initially, Chan had intended to make money off of Fan by [[pimp]]ing her out to other men.<ref name=":0" />

Prior to the kidnapping, both Leung Wai-lun and Leung Shing-cho worked at a [[retail store]] nearby Granville Road.

==Ordeal==
During her imprisonment, she was tortured and raped. According to one source, she was beaten with metal bars, sometimes while being strung up and used as a punching bag. On one occasion, Fan was kicked in the head around fifty times. Spices were rubbed into Fan's wounds, her legs and feet were burned with candle wax and hot plastic so that she was unable to walk. She was forced to smile and say she enjoyed the beatings; if she refused, they subjected her to even harsher torture. This treatment eventually led to [[shock (circulatory)|traumatic shock]] and ultimately death.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|date=6 December 2012|title=妙齡女郎慘遭殘酷碎尸三名疑犯陸續落網|url=http://people.com.cn/BIG5/channel1/14/20001011/267172.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121206005822/http://people.com.cn/BIG5/channel1/14/20001011/267172.html|archive-date=6 December 2012|access-date=23 January 2022|website=archive.ph}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=20 April 2008|title=Trio sentenced to life in jail for gruesome killing in H.K {{!}} Asian Economic News|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_2000_Dec_11/ai_68162682|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420025636/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_2000_Dec_11/ai_68162682|archive-date=20 April 2008|access-date=23 January 2022}}</ref>

Fan succumbed to her wounds between 14 April and 15 April 1999. Some sources claim that she died while her captors were out, while others say she died overnight.{{cn|date=April 2024}} Upon discovery of Fan's body, her captors dismembered and boiled the remains; her skull was sewed inside of a [[Hello Kitty]] doll filled with dead insects while the rest of the body was discarded.<ref name=":0" /> Only her skull, one tooth, and some internal organs were recovered in a plastic bag, after Lau led the [[Yau Ma Tei]] police to the scene on 24 May.<ref name="raid"/><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Chandler|first=Clay|last2=|date=9 December 2000|title='Hello Kitty' Murder Case Horrifies Hong Kong|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/12/09/hello-kitty-murder-case-horrifies-hong-kong/bafa4ff1-bbf6-4d28-b0cc-2eea9bef43d0/|access-date=23 January 2022|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Three police officers, Chiu Ka-hsue, Sin Tim-wah and, Andrew Yip Yan-ling, all from the Yau Ma Tei Police Division No. 539, were the first officers who arrived at the scene.<ref name="raid">{{cite news|last1=Wan|first1=Fletcher|last2=Singh|first2=Asha|title=Police raids Hello Kitty apartment|work=South China Morning Post|date=29 May 1999|page=4}}</ref> Other parts were recovered from trash dumps in [[Sham Shui Po]], [[Wan Chai]], and [[Tai Kok Tsui]].<ref name="bodyparts">{{cite news|last1=Taylor|first1=Alan|last2=Eng|first2=Peggy|title=Body parts from Hello Kitty murder recovered|work=South China Morning Post|date=16 June 1999|page=3}}</ref>

At the time of the arrest, Chan was living with his wife Ah Pui (real name Tse Pui-ling, {{zh|t=謝佩玲|p=Xiè Pèilíng|labels=no}}) and his newborn baby at an apartment in the Shek Ning section of [[Shek Lei Estate]]. The apartment was raided by SWAT officers on the early morning hours of 28 May.<ref name="raid"/> Tse was first suspected to be involved in the murder, but was quickly released after no evidence was found. After finding out the murder made it to the media via a [[Macau]]-based local newspaper, Leung Wai-lun fled to mainland [[China]] ([[Guangxi]])<ref name="final">
{{cite news|last1=Jackson|first1=Ryan|last2=Tsui|first2=Lelia|title=Final suspect in gruesome murder found in China|work=South China Morning Post|date=16 February 2000|page=4}}</ref> before getting caught by the police on 14 February 2000, after irregularities were found in his passport. Prior to the arrest, Leung was put on [[Interpol]]'s most wanted list.<ref name="suspect">
{{cite news|last1=Eng|first1=Peggy|title=Interpol adds new suspects|work=South China Morning Post|date=26 July 1999|page=4}}</ref> He was sent back to Hong Kong on 17 February for trial.

Fan's skull was identified on 3 June, after a "photo overlapping method" at Lockhart Mortuary, and the skull was moved to Kowloon Public Mortuary after the trial.<ref name="strench">{{cite news|last1=de Luna|first1=Regina|last2=Holliday|first2=Derek|title=Court filled with bad stench|work=South China Morning Post|date=21 October 2000|page=3}}</ref>

==Trial==
On 7 December 2000, after a trial which started on 20 October,<ref name="strench"/> the three men were convicted of [[manslaughter]] with a vote of 6:3,<ref name="chaos">{{cite news|last=Holliday|first=Derek|title=Chaos in the courtroom|work=South China Morning Post|date=8 December 2000|page=4}}</ref> as the eight-man and one-woman jury ruled the remains were not sufficient to show whether Fan was murdered or died from a [[drug overdose]].<ref name=":0" /> While the jury could not rule that the men intended to kill Fan, they did determine that she had died as a result of their abuse.<ref name="ABC"/> Lau testified at the trial in exchange for [[legal immunity|immunity]].<ref name=":0" /> During the trial, Chan and Leung Shing-cho denied killing Fan, although they did not deny dismembering her body.<ref name="attend">{{cite news|last1=Kung|first1=Robert|title=80s TVB reporters attend gruesome trial|work=South China Morning Post|date=29 October 2000|page=3}}</ref> Chan's wife Tse Pui-ling, Fan's husband Ng Chi-yuen, and Fan's aunt also testified in court. After the guilty verdict, Leung Wai-lun's sister reportedly experienced a [[mental breakdown]], while Leung's brother slammed and broke the court door.<ref name="chaos"/>

Justice [[Peter Nguyen (judge)|Peter Nguyen]], who sentenced the trio to [[life in prison]] with the possibility of parole, stated, "Never in Hong Kong in recent years has a court heard of such cruelty, depravity, callousness, brutality, violence, and viciousness."<ref name=":0" /> Psychiatric reports of [[Castle Peak Hospital]] and [[Siu Lam Hospital]] described the three as "remorseless".<ref name="sentence"/> There would be no review for parole for twenty years.<ref name="ABC">{{cite web | url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=81992&page=1 | title=Life for 'Hello Kitty' Killers | work=ABC News | access-date=1 October 2016}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=December 2022}} Chan Man-lok and Leung Wai-lun are currently serving their life sentences in [[Stanley Prison]].{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Former [[TVB]] reporters Carmen Luk and Mimi Yeung attended the trial, with Luk describing the court scene as "crazy and scary".<ref name="attend"/>

Chan lost his [[appeal]] on 13 August 2007, by the request of the court.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

==Aftermath==
Fan's skull was the only exhibit in the case. After the trial, it was kept by the forensic pathologist in the Kowloon Public Mortuary until the appeal process of the prisoners was completed, and her birth family was notified in March 2004 that the skull would be returned and cremated on 26 March.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

The apartment building in which the crime took place was demolished in September 2012 and has been rebuilt as a hotel named Soravit in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Mind-Boggling Brutality Of The Hello Kitty Murder|url=https://www.ranker.com/list/hello-kitty-murder-facts/cat-mcauliffe|access-date=13 February 2022|website=Ranker|language=en}}</ref> Three [[buddha]] portraits were placed in the hotel as a memorial.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

A necklace that belonged to Fan was handed over to Fan's son after it was discovered in the refrigerator during the investigation.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

The publicity around the case resulted in the production and release of films that told the story. Both ''Human Pork Chop'' (烹屍之喪盡天良) and ''[[There is a Secret in my Soup]]'' were released in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cinematicshocks.com/2014/06/human-pork-chop-2001-and-hello-kitty.html?m=1|title=Human Pork Chop (2001) and the Hello Kitty Murder|work=Cinematic Shocks|date=23 June 2014|access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref>

Leung Shing-cho, who managed to reduce his sentence from life to eighteen years on appeal in March 2004,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scmp.com/article/447650/hello-kitty-killers-sentence-cut-18-years | title=Hello Kitty killer's sentence cut to 18 years | date=10 March 2004 }}</ref> was released in April 2014. Eight years later, Leung was arrested and sentenced to jail once again for twelve months in August 2022 for [[Child sexual abuse|sexually assaulting]] a ten-year-old girl.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/193493/Ex-convict-of-Hello-Kitty-murder-case-jailed-a-year-for-indecent-assault-on-girl | title=Ex-convict of Hello Kitty murder case jailed a year for indecent assault on girl|work=[[The Standard (Hong Kong)]] }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Eight Immortals Restaurant murders]]
*[[List of kidnappings]]
*[[List of solved missing person cases: pre-2000|List of solved missing person cases]]
*[[Murder of Junko Furuta]]
*[[Murder of Abby Choi]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal bar|Hong Kong|Crime}}
*[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_2000_Dec_11/ai_68162682 Trio sentenced to life in jail for gruesome killing in H.K] – Asian Economic News, 11 December 2000
*{{IMDb title|0299088|Human Pork Chop|(2001 film)}}
*{{IMDb title|0299109|There is a Secret in my Soup|(2001 film)}}
{{Yau Tsim Mong District}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hello Kitty Murder}}
[[Category:1990s missing person cases]]
[[Category:1990s murders in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:1999 crimes in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:1999 murders in China]]
[[Category:April 1999 crimes]]
[[Category:April 1999 in China]]
[[Category:Female murder victims]]
[[Category:Formerly missing people]]
[[Category:Hello Kitty]]
[[Category:History of women in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Incidents of violence against women]]
[[Category:Kidnappings in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Missing person cases in China]]
[[Category:Murder in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:People murdered by organized crime]]
[[Category:People murdered in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Triad (organized crime)]]
[[Category:Violence against women in Hong Kong]]

Hello Kitty murder case - Revision history

imported>A876: a wording. +link.