Town in shock over girl’s kidnap-cum-murder! ‘A girl who had it all’
JOHOR BARU: A 16-year-old schoolgirl who was kidnapped last Friday was found murdered with her partially-burnt body dumped in some bushes.
Police found the semi-decomposed body of Lai Ying Xin (pic) at 1.40am yesterday in Taman Putri, Kulai.
It is learnt that she might have been kidnapped by people known to her and police were pursuing several leads, including that one of the suspects may have been the victim’s ex-boyfriend.
Johor deputy police chief Senior Asst Comm (I) Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said police believe Ying Xin had been murdered even before the kidnappers demanded ransom.
He said Ying Xin, the third of four siblings, was kidnapped outside a hypermarket after 9pm on Friday where she had been working as a part-time sales girl.
“The victim’s mother lodged a police report the following morning when the kidnappers called at 6.20am and demanded a ransom,” SAC Tun Hisan told a press conference yesterday at the state police headquarters.
Ying Xin’s father owns a car repair workshop while her mother is a housewife.
Police have ruled out the involvement of Ah Long.
It is learnt that the kidnappers demanded RM60,000 but family members only managed to raise RM30,000, which was dropped off at an undisclosed location at about 3am on Monday.
Police detained seven suspects in Kulai on Monday but released three of them after questioning.
The remaining four, aged between 16 and 22 years, are odd-job workers and have been remanded until Sept 21 to assist investigations.
Police recovered two-thirds of the ransom money and a silver Perodua Kembara.
SAC Tun Hisan said after questioning the suspects, police were able to locate the victim’s body, which was then sent to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital mortuary.
The autopsy report revealed that the victim had been strangled before her body was set on fire. It also found that she had not been raped.
Her family members arrived at the mortuary at 3.30pm to identify the body.
The five people left about 30 minutes later.
Friends horrified to hear of Ying Xin’s death
KULAI: Schoolmates of kidnap victim Lai Ying Xin, were horrified to hear of her death.
She was a bright student who had scored 7As in her PMR last year.
Ying Xin’s pretty face also made her a popular student at SMK Sultan Ibrahim.
One of her best friends, student Lee Sher Li, 16, said she spoke or SMSed Ying Xin daily and was surprised when she could not contact her from Saturday.
“I tried calling her handphone, but was confused, worried and anxious when I could not get through to her,” she said when met outside her school yesterday afternoon.
“Later on, I heard that she had been kidnapped. I am shocked over her murder.”
Sher Li described Ying Xin as a “really good girl” who was not in any sort of trouble and was always generous with her friends.
“She was a very good student and even treated us to KFC meals and movies once in a while,” she said.
She added that Ying Xin often went for tuition with her and would even come over to her home once in a while to complete their homework together.
Another classmate Tham Yi Xin, 16, said she heard that Ying Xin had been kidnapped but was horrified to hear of her murder.
“I can’t believe it,” she said.
A teacher who declined to be identified said they were shocked to learn the news.
She was a good student who was also active in co-curricular activities, said the teacher.
©New Straits Times (Used by permission)
by Jassmine Shadiqe
KULAI JAYA: The sleepy neighbourhood of Taman Putri here was reeling from shock yesterday following the discovery of the partially- charred body of a 16-year-old schoolgirl in a clearing.
Residents reacted in horror when it was learnt that the victim, Lai Ying Xin, was kidnapped on Thursday and was believed to have been murdered even before the ransom of RM60,000 was paid.
Police were led to the body yesterday about 1am by four suspects, between the ages of 16 and 22. One of the suspects is believed to have been the victim’s boyfriend.
Marked bills amounting to RM20,000, believed to be part of the ransom, were also found on the suspects.
Police believe the suspects went ahead and demanded the ransom even after the victim was murdered and her body burnt. She is believed to have been murdered within 24 hours of the abduction.
She is believed to have been murdered elsewhere before her body was dumped in Taman Putri.
Lai, a student of Sekolah Menengah Kulai, who also worked part-time in a hypermarket, is believed to have been kidnapped while she was on her way home.
Police said she was bundled into a Perodua Kembara by the suspects. Police had also seized the vehicle from one of the suspects currently in custody.
State police deputy chief Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said Lai was probably killed as she knew one of the kidnappers.
“The kidnappers were afraid the victim would point them out once she was released after the ransom was paid,” said Tun Hisan.
He said the victim’s mother had received a call demanding a ransom on Friday evening.
“Lai usually returned home by 9pm but when there was no sign of her on Thursday night, the family lodged a missing person’s report,” he said.
After negotiations, the sum of RM60,000 was agreed upon as the ransom. The money, which was in a sports bag, was dropped off at secluded spot in a housing area in Kulai at 3am on Monday.
Police made a breakthrough in the investigations on Monday evening, which led them to the arrest of a 16-year-old school dropout and two men in their 20s who were seen driving in the area in a Perodua Kembara.
Part of the ransom money was found on the suspects.
In follow-up operations, police picked up another 16-year-old in Taman Putri.
All four suspects have been remanded until Sept 21 to facilitate investigations. They had led police to a secluded road in Taman Putri, where the body was found.
The body was sent to Sultanah Aminah Hospital for a post-mortem.
‘A girl who had it all’
JOHOR BARU: Murder victim Lai Ying Xin was described as “not very studious” but “who did well in her examinations”. The description came from one of Lai’s classmates who said the victim also paid a lot of attention to her looks and dressing.
“She was the one who had the latest hair style and knew the latest album,” said her classmate, who did not want to be named.
“She was pretty, kind, smart and down-to-earth. She was not like one of those who had it all but was snobbish.”
According to her, Lai was also known as “Yinx”.
“Yinx came from a well-to-do-family. She did not need the part-time job. But I think she took it since she enjoyed shopping,” said the student, adding that Yinx had a sister and brother.
Another student claimed Yinx’s family was keeping the matter hushed up as they did not want her frail grandmother to know what had happened.
“Yinx was close to her. They are afraid that she will not be able to take the news that Yinx was brutally murdered.”
Source from
http://www.malaysianbar.org.my
