Cctv newsOn July 7, the Intermediate People’s Court of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture issued a verdict. On July 7, 2022, the Intermediate People’s Court of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province publicly pronounced the case of defendants Hong Qiao, Zhang Chenguang and Cao Zeqing’s intentional homicide and the case of defendants Hong Qiao and Qi Wenqiang’s theft. Hong Qiao was sentenced to death for intentional homicide, deprived of political rights for life, and sentenced to two years and six months’ imprisonment for theft. Zhang Chenguang and Cao Zeqing were sentenced to death for intentional homicide, suspended for two years and deprived of political rights for life; Qi Wenqiang was sentenced to two years in prison for theft and fined RMB 8,000.
The court found through trial that the defendant Hong Jiao and the victim Li Mouyue (female, 21 years old) were lovers, and the latter two had conflicts. Hong Jiao had the intention to kill Li Mouyue, and invited the defendants Zhang Chenguang and Cao Zeqing to discuss the plan to kill Li Mouyue many times. On July 6, 2020, Hong Jiao and other three people selected Pu ‘er Tea Park in Menghai County, Yunnan Province as the crime site in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. Hong Jiao tricked Li Mouyue into going to Menghai County and provided funds and tools for committing crimes. Later, Hong Jiao led Zhang Chenguang and Cao Zeqing to practice the killing method several times and explained the details of the crime and the requirements of regular reporting. On the morning of 9th, Zhang Chenguang and Cao Zeqing arrived in Menghai County. That night, Li Mouyue was lured to the crime site, and Cao Zeqing and Zhang Chenguang killed and buried Li Mouyue.
In May 2019, the defendant Hong Jiao instructed the defendant Qi Wenqiang to steal a monocular night vision device (worth RMB18,000) in a resort in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.
The court held that the defendants Hong Jiao, Zhang Chenguang and Cao Zeqing intentionally and illegally deprived others of their lives, and the actions of the three defendants all constituted the crime of intentional homicide. Defendants Hong Qiao and Qi Wenqiang secretly stole a large amount of other people’s property for the purpose of illegal possession. Both defendants’ actions constitute theft. Hong Qiao is guilty of intentional homicide and theft, and should be punished for several crimes. In the joint crime of intentional homicide, Hong Jiao was the initiator, planner and commander of the crime, and provided the crime expenses to lure the victim to the crime site. Zhang Chenguang and Cao Zeqing actively participated in the planning and division of labor to kill the victim, and all three defendants were principal offenders, among which Hong Jiao had the highest status and the most prominent guilt. Because of a love dispute with the victim, Hong Qiao carefully planned a crime and instructed Zhang Chenguang and Cao Zeqing to kill and bury the victim. The circumstances of the crime were particularly bad, the crime was extremely serious, the attitude of confession and repentance was poor, and the subjective malignancy was deep and the personal danger was great. He was severely punished according to law. Zhang Chenguang and Cao Zeqing’s guilt in the joint crime is less than that of Hong Qiao’s, and they truthfully confess the facts of the crime after being brought to justice, and they have a good attitude of pleading guilty, so the death penalty may not be executed immediately. In the joint crime of theft, Hong Jiao was the first to commit the crime and directed Qi Wenqiang to commit the theft. Both defendants were principal offenders, among which Hong Jiao’s guilt was more prominent. Qi Wenqiang voluntarily confessed the facts of the theft crime after arriving at the case, which constituted surrender and could be given a lighter punishment according to law. The court then made the above judgment.
During the trial of the case, plaintiffs Li Sheng and Chen Shouping in the incidental civil action demanded that the defendant be severely punished and voluntarily give up compensation, and applied to the court to withdraw the incidental civil action, which was granted by the court.
Close relatives of the victims, some deputies to the National People’s Congress, CPPCC members, media reporters and representatives of the masses attended the verdict.