Nearly Buried 'Father Murder Case'... Persistent Son Catches Killer After 17 Years

Xiang Mingqian, who tracked down his father's murderer for 17 years. Photo by Twitter.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] A boy who lost his father to a murder during his childhood succeeded in catching the culprit after 17 years of relentless pursuit.

Recently, Chinese media including the People's Daily reported the story of a man who persistently tracked down his father's killer.

The story began with a trivial fight among children. In August 2000, in Yunnan Province, China, Xiang Mingqian, then 9 years old, was playing by a roadside puddle with a neighboring child named Zhang Jun (pseudonym).

Then, Zhang Jun playfully threw a stone into the puddle, splashing water on Xiang Mingqian. Angered, Xiang Mingqian threw a large stone at Zhang Jun, and the two started a physical fight. Their families intervened, escalating the fight.

That night, several people including Zhang Jun's father threatened Xiang Mingqian's family.

Zhang Jun's uncle, Zhang Mouqi, stabbed Xiang Mingqian's father, Xiang Wenzhi, with a knife. Xiang Wenzhi was stabbed 18 times in the neck, heart, abdomen, and other areas, was taken to the hospital, but ultimately died.

Xiang Mingqian's father. Photo by YouTube capture.

Xiang Mingqian's family immediately reported to the police, but officers arrived only the next morning. Zhang Mouqi, who stabbed Xiang Mingqian's father, had already disappeared. After a formal investigation, the police gave 1,000 yuan (about 170,000 KRW) for funeral expenses and told them not to tell anyone. The police closed the case as unsolved.

After losing her husband, Xiang Mingqian's mother sold fruit to make a living, and Xiang Mingqian, who was an excellent student, dropped out of school to help his mother by selling noodles on the street.

Xiang Mingqian endured with only the thought of catching the culprit.

Xiang Mingqian, who tracked down his father's murderer for 17 years. Photo by China PPT Newspaper.

In 2007, Xiang Mingqian received information that Zhang Mouqi was seen at the railway station in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, and in 2013, in Fujian Province. He went to those places but failed to catch the culprit.

Then, in 2017, Xiang Mingqian obtained information that Zhang Mouqi was working at a tableware factory in Fujian Province.

After staking out beside the factory for three days, Xiang Mingqian finally found Zhang Mouqi. The public security officers put him in a police car and took him away. China.com reported, "Xiang Mingqian reported to the police with evidence such as the clothes his father was wearing at the last moment, and the culprit was arrested 17 years after the incident."

The 9-year-old boy Xiang Mingqian had turned 26 during that time. Xiang Mingqian spent 80,000 yuan (13.71 million KRW) collecting information and tracking the culprit over 17 years.

The clothes Shang Mingqian was wearing at the time his father was murdered. Photo by Twitter.

One year after Xiang Mingqian caught the culprit, in October 2018, the culprit was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Intermediate People's Court of Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province, stated that based on evidence and confessions, it was clear that Zhang Mouqi murdered Xiang Wenzhi.

Even after the life sentence was handed down to the main culprit two years ago, Xiang Mingqian is not satisfied and is searching for accomplices. Xiang Mingqian claims, "The investigative authorities do not admit to past poor investigations and try to close the case only by arresting Zhang," and asserts that related evidence has been destroyed.

Having lost his father in childhood, Xiang Mingqian's life was completely overturned. He bravely endured for 17 years for his father. However, his father's absence also brought him difficult times. During a moment in his life that was unbearable and confusing, he was once imprisoned due to a fight. Xiang said, "Living is because of ugly things."