Death Row Inmate Ouyang Rong Dies of Illness; Prosecutor General Files Extraordinary Appeal Citing Flawed Verdict
Ouyang Rong, a 70-year-old death row inmate convicted of murdering and dismembering a Kaohsiung developer, died of illness in January. Citing procedural flaws in his final trial—such as a lack of oral debate—Prosecutor General Hsing Tai-chao has made the exceptional move of filing an extraordinary appeal for the deceased inmate.
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- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 14:29
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Central News
(CNA Reporter Hsieh Chun-lin, Taipei, 22nd) 70-year-old Ouyang Rong, who was sentenced to death for the kidnapping, murder, and dismemberment of a Kaohsiung developer, passed away from illness in January this year. Considering flaws in his final judgment, Prosecutor General Hsing Tai-chao has filed an extraordinary appeal, making it a special case of proposing relief for a deceased death row inmate.
Following the Constitutional Court's judgment "113-Hsien-Pan-Zi No. 8" on the death penalty on September 20, 2024, the Supreme Prosecutors Office began dividing cases for review. They have successively filed extraordinary appeals for death row inmates including Huang Chun-chi, Chen Yi-lung, Kuo Chun-wei, Wang Hung-wei, and Ouyang Rong.
During the review by the Supreme Prosecutors Office, it was found that Ouyang Rong's final judgment had trial flaws, such as "no oral debate in the third instance" and "no unanimous decision in the deliberation." After reviewing and confirming the files, the handling prosecutor, in accordance with the intent of the Constitutional Court's ruling, concluded there were grounds for an extraordinary appeal. Prosecutor General Hsing Tai-chao then filed an extraordinary appeal with the Supreme Court.
After losing his job in 1999, Ouyang Rong met a woman surnamed Lu, the general manager of a construction company. Lu rented a storefront to Ouyang for his business and lent him money monthly. However, when Lu stopped financially supporting him in 2003, Ouyang allegedly murdered her in his home, dismembered and disposed of the body, and then called Lu's family to demand a ransom. He was subsequently arrested by the police.
In 2011, the Supreme Court upheld the view of the sixth retrial of the Kaohsiung Branch of the Taiwan High Court, ruling that Ouyang Rong murdered Lu out of greed for her wealth and dismembered her body. He was sentenced to death and deprived of his civil rights for life for crimes including murder and abandonment of a corpse. The case was finalized.
On January 25 of this year, Ouyang Rong, who was detained at the Kaohsiung Second Prison of the Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice, passed away from illness. A forensic examination by the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office determined the cause of death to be diabetic ketoacidosis, accompanied by upper gastrointestinal bleeding and acute renal failure. The Ciaotou Prosecutors Office stated that the deceased had a history of diabetes, failed to take his medication on time, had medical certificates for treatment outside under guard, and had no suspicious external injuries. The family had no objections to the cause of death, and the prosecutor issued a death certificate to the family. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150422
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(CNA Reporter Hsieh Chun-lin, Taipei, 22nd) 70-year-old Ouyang Rong, who was sentenced to death for the kidnapping, murder, and dismemberment of a Kaohsiung developer, passed away from illness in January this year. Considering flaws in his final judgment, Prosecutor General Hsing Tai-chao has filed an extraordinary appeal, making it a special case of proposing relief for a deceased death row inmate.
Following the Constitutional Court's judgment "113-Hsien-Pan-Zi No. 8" on the death penalty on September 20, 2024, the Supreme Prosecutors Office began dividing cases for review. They have successively filed extraordinary appeals for death row inmates including Huang Chun-chi, Chen Yi-lung, Kuo Chun-wei, Wang Hung-wei, and Ouyang Rong.
During the review by the Supreme Prosecutors Office, it was found that Ouyang Rong's final judgment had trial flaws, such as "no oral debate in the third instance" and "no unanimous decision in the deliberation." After reviewing and confirming the files, the handling prosecutor, in accordance with the intent of the Constitutional Court's ruling, concluded there were grounds for an extraordinary appeal. Prosecutor General Hsing Tai-chao then filed an extraordinary appeal with the Supreme Court.
After losing his job in 1999, Ouyang Rong met a woman surnamed Lu, the general manager of a construction company. Lu rented a storefront to Ouyang for his business and lent him money monthly. However, when Lu stopped financially supporting him in 2003, Ouyang allegedly murdered her in his home, dismembered and disposed of the body, and then called Lu's family to demand a ransom. He was subsequently arrested by the police.
In 2011, the Supreme Court upheld the view of the sixth retrial of the Kaohsiung Branch of the Taiwan High Court, ruling that Ouyang Rong murdered Lu out of greed for her wealth and dismembered her body. He was sentenced to death and deprived of his civil rights for life for crimes including murder and abandonment of a corpse. The case was finalized.
On January 25 of this year, Ouyang Rong, who was detained at the Kaohsiung Second Prison of the Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice, passed away from illness. A forensic examination by the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office determined the cause of death to be diabetic ketoacidosis, accompanied by upper gastrointestinal bleeding and acute renal failure. The Ciaotou Prosecutors Office stated that the deceased had a history of diabetes, failed to take his medication on time, had medical certificates for treatment outside under guard, and had no suspicious external injuries. The family had no objections to the cause of death, and the prosecutor issued a death certificate to the family. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150422
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect freedom of the press.
Download the CNA "First-hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, pictures, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.