A yoga instructor was found hacked to death in the bathtub of a five-star hotel in Hong Kong just hours before she was set to fly back home to the United States. Chow Wai-yin, 23, also known as Aqua Chow, was found dead on Thursday at the Ritz Carlton in Hong Kong with dozens of stab wounds, police said.
Hong Kong police have arrested a man in connection with Wai-yin's death after her mother reported her missing. The man, 28, reportedly is Wai-yin's ex-boyfriend. Police have launched an investigation into the gruesome murder and are interrogating the suspect.
Brutal Murder
Wai-yin was found dead at around 10 pm on Thursday at the Ritz Carlton after police entered the room. Her body was lying in the bathtub with more than 30 stab wounds. She was first reported missing at around 1 pm on Thursday by her mother, who was unable to contact her.
However, police couldn't trace her as she couldn't be reached over phone. Interestingly, then, a few hours later her ex-boyfriend and his attorney visited the Wong Tai Sin police station and lodged a missing complaint and gave the hotel room key to the cops.
Police then went to the hotel room and discovered her body in the bathtub.
"The deceased was found in a bathtub," Assistant Yau Tsim district commander (crime), Superintendent Gar Kam-lam told the South China Morning Post. Officials reported that the hotel room had blood as well as evidence of fighting.
"An initial examination by a forensic pathologist shows that the victim suffered more than 30 knife wounds to the limbs and her body in the front and back," Yau said.
Investigators believe that Wai-yin was murdered at least 24 hours before her body was discovered, he continued. According to a source, the phone may have been thrown away since it held crucial texts between the two parties, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
Her ex-boyfriend is being questioned and remains in custody.
Mystery Deepens
Police are yet to reveal further details about Wai-yin's murder. However, initial investigation suggests that the murder was premeditated as the knife was purchased prior to the suspect's check-in at The Ritz Carlton.
"The investigation suggests the man had changed his clothes before he left the hotel around daybreak on Thursday," Kam-lam said. He continued by saying that they discovered the knife they think was used in the bathtub.
According to a source, Wai-yin might have been killed first and then dumped in the tub.
"Blood was found on the floor, walls, bed and almost everywhere in the room," police said.
CCTV footage shows Wai-yin and her ex-boyfriend leaving her apartment, where she lived alone, on Wednesday at around 4 pm. That was the last time she was seen. On Friday, at around 4 am, cops were seen escorting the handcuffed suspect to a parking lot. He watched on as they searched a Mercedes-Benz there.
According to reports, the ex-boyfriend was detained in December of last year after threatening Wai-yin. After that, they parted ways.
Wai-yin was reportedly scheduled to leave for the United States early on Thursday. Her mother realized she wasn't on the plane and then after numerous failed attempts to contact her, lodged a missing complaint.
