Tainan Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Stabbing Death of Village Chief, 5 Years Guardianship Confirmed
A Tainan man, Mr. Guo, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison and 5 years of post-release guardianship for fatally stabbing former village chief Li Kun-ming over a debt dispute in February 2024. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction, noting that despite a history of schizophrenia, the defendant's cognitive ability at the time of the crime was not impaired, and the guardianship is to prevent recidivism.
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- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 12:49
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Central News Agency (Reporter Hsieh Chun-lin, Taipei, 29th) Mr. Guo, who in February 2024 questioned former village chief Li Kun-ming of Sanqing Village, Xuejia District, Tainan City about a debt issue without resolution, then stabbed him with a knife, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison in both the first and second instances, with an additional 5 years of guardianship to be imposed after the completion of his sentence. The Supreme Court recently rejected his appeal, finalizing the verdict.
Previous rulings indicated that Mr. Guo, a resident of Sanqing Village, Xuejia District, encountered Li Kun-ming while riding a motorcycle in February 2024. After an unresolved debt discussion, he stabbed the victim multiple times with a fruit knife. Li Kun-ming died after being sent to the hospital. Mr. Guo believed Li Kun-ming owed him money and, in a moment of anger during their conversation, attacked him with the knife.
The Tainan District Court's citizen judge panel sentenced Mr. Guo to 18 years in prison in July last year. Considering that Mr. Guo had suffered from schizophrenia for over 30 years but still lacked insight into his condition, and to prevent him from reoffending and causing another social tragedy, the court declared that he should be placed in an appropriate facility for the statutory maximum guardianship period of 5 years after the completion or pardon of his sentence.
Mr. Guo appealed the verdict to the second instance, which was heard by the Tainan Branch of the Taiwan High Court. The Tainan High Court determined that Guo Zhe-hong attacked with great force and did not provide assistance after seeing Li Kun-ming bleed heavily, instead turning and quickly riding away, indicating a clear intent to kill.
Furthermore, the second instance court believed that the first instance had already considered the results of the psychiatric evaluation from the hospital. The evaluation report showed that Mr. Guo's behavior at the time was affected by schizophrenia, constituting a mental disorder, and leading to a significant reduction in his control ability, thus warranting a reduced sentence according to law. However, the evaluation also indicated that Mr. Guo's cognitive ability at the time of the act was not affected, making him undeserving of clemency in this regard, and thus not meeting the conditions for further reduction. Therefore, the first instance's sentencing was deemed appropriate and upheld, and the appeal was rejected.
After appealing to the third instance, the Supreme Court reviewed the case and found no errors in the second instance judgment, rejecting the appeal on the 23rd and finalizing the case. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150429
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Previous rulings indicated that Mr. Guo, a resident of Sanqing Village, Xuejia District, encountered Li Kun-ming while riding a motorcycle in February 2024. After an unresolved debt discussion, he stabbed the victim multiple times with a fruit knife. Li Kun-ming died after being sent to the hospital. Mr. Guo believed Li Kun-ming owed him money and, in a moment of anger during their conversation, attacked him with the knife.
The Tainan District Court's citizen judge panel sentenced Mr. Guo to 18 years in prison in July last year. Considering that Mr. Guo had suffered from schizophrenia for over 30 years but still lacked insight into his condition, and to prevent him from reoffending and causing another social tragedy, the court declared that he should be placed in an appropriate facility for the statutory maximum guardianship period of 5 years after the completion or pardon of his sentence.
Mr. Guo appealed the verdict to the second instance, which was heard by the Tainan Branch of the Taiwan High Court. The Tainan High Court determined that Guo Zhe-hong attacked with great force and did not provide assistance after seeing Li Kun-ming bleed heavily, instead turning and quickly riding away, indicating a clear intent to kill.
Furthermore, the second instance court believed that the first instance had already considered the results of the psychiatric evaluation from the hospital. The evaluation report showed that Mr. Guo's behavior at the time was affected by schizophrenia, constituting a mental disorder, and leading to a significant reduction in his control ability, thus warranting a reduced sentence according to law. However, the evaluation also indicated that Mr. Guo's cognitive ability at the time of the act was not affected, making him undeserving of clemency in this regard, and thus not meeting the conditions for further reduction. Therefore, the first instance's sentencing was deemed appropriate and upheld, and the appeal was rejected.
After appealing to the third instance, the Supreme Court reviewed the case and found no errors in the second instance judgment, rejecting the appeal on the 23rd and finalizing the case. (Editor: Lin Shu-hui) 1150429
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