Man Sentenced to Death for Stabbing Neighbor Couple Over Noise; Supreme Court Overturns and Remands
Wu Long-man, a man from Kaohsiung's Lingya District, was sentenced to death for stabbing a neighbor couple over noise complaints. The Supreme Court overturned the ruling, citing issues with motive determination and psychiatric evaluation, and remanded the case for retrial.
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- 📰 Published: June 10, 2026 at 17:16
- 🔍 Collected: June 10, 2026 at 17:34 (18 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 10, 2026 at 17:35 (0 min after Collected)
(Central News Agency, reporter Lin Chang-shun, Taipei, June 10) Wu Long-man, a man from Kaohsiung's Lingya District, suspected a couple surnamed Luo living upstairs of making noise and stabbed them to death. Both the first and second trials sentenced Wu to death and deprived him of civil rights for life. The Supreme Court today overturned the original verdict and remanded the case to the Kaohsiung High Court for retrial.
In September 2023, Wu suspected the Luo couple of making noise. He stabbed the 35-year-old wife and then the 36-year-old husband in front of their young child. After the crime, he disposed of the murder weapon and clothes under the Kaohsiung end of the Wanda Bridge and was eventually arrested in Pingtung. The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office indicted Wu for murder, citing his brutal methods and lack of remorse, and requested the death penalty.
The Kaohsiung District Court stated that Wu had premeditated the crime, acted with direct intent to kill, and used cruel methods. There was no evidence that Wu suffered from bipolar disorder or depression. He was found guilty of two counts of murder, each carrying the death penalty, to be executed concurrently, with permanent deprivation of civil rights. The Kaohsiung High Court upheld the verdict, rejecting Wu's appeal. Wu then appealed to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court found that the first trial did not establish Wu's motive for murder, and the second trial's finding of premeditation was inconsistent with the evidence. Furthermore, regarding the psychiatric evaluation, the evidence showed Wu was not unable to undergo such an evaluation. Because this aspect must comply with the requirements of Constitutional Interpretation No. 8 of 2024, the Supreme Court overturned the original verdict and remanded the case to the Kaohsiung High Court for a new trial. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) June 10, 2025
In September 2023, Wu suspected the Luo couple of making noise. He stabbed the 35-year-old wife and then the 36-year-old husband in front of their young child. After the crime, he disposed of the murder weapon and clothes under the Kaohsiung end of the Wanda Bridge and was eventually arrested in Pingtung. The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office indicted Wu for murder, citing his brutal methods and lack of remorse, and requested the death penalty.
The Kaohsiung District Court stated that Wu had premeditated the crime, acted with direct intent to kill, and used cruel methods. There was no evidence that Wu suffered from bipolar disorder or depression. He was found guilty of two counts of murder, each carrying the death penalty, to be executed concurrently, with permanent deprivation of civil rights. The Kaohsiung High Court upheld the verdict, rejecting Wu's appeal. Wu then appealed to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court found that the first trial did not establish Wu's motive for murder, and the second trial's finding of premeditation was inconsistent with the evidence. Furthermore, regarding the psychiatric evaluation, the evidence showed Wu was not unable to undergo such an evaluation. Because this aspect must comply with the requirements of Constitutional Interpretation No. 8 of 2024, the Supreme Court overturned the original verdict and remanded the case to the Kaohsiung High Court for a new trial. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) June 10, 2025
FAQ
What is the core of this news?
The Supreme Court overturned the death sentence and remanded the case due to deficiencies in motive determination and psychiatric evaluation.
Why did the Supreme Court overturn the death sentence?
The first trial did not establish the murder motive, and the second trial's premeditation finding was inconsistent with evidence. The psychiatric evaluation also did not meet constitutional requirements.
What happens next in the trial?
The Kaohsiung High Court will conduct a retrial, likely including a new psychiatric evaluation.