Chutian Metropolis Daily report (reporter Hanze Liu) - A 19-year-old girl, unable to break free from her 44-year-old lover, resorted to hiring a hitman to murder him. Yesterday, the Intermediate People's Court of Jingzhou City handed down its first-instance verdict in this case: Zhai, who hired the killer, was sentenced to death with reprieve; Xiong, the killer, was sentenced to death; and Nie, Zhai's boyfriend, received a five-year prison sentence.
On January 8th last year, a homicide occurred at the Honghu Construction Hotel where a man was found naked in a guest room with multiple stab wounds. Investigations revealed that the victim, surnamed Wang, was a car ferry businessman who had stakes in coal mining in Inner Mongolia, real estate development in Honghu, logistics transportation, and more, making him a wealthy individual.
The police swiftly investigated and apprehended three suspects: Zhai, Wang's lover; Nie, Zhai's boyfriend; and Xiong, Zhai's classmate. It was uncovered that in June 2008, when Zhai was 17 years old and working as a manager at a karaoke bar, she met Wang and developed a romantic relationship. Over two years, Wang financially supported Zhai, helping her open a clothing store and buy a car.
While being maintained by Wang, Zhai started a romantic relationship with her classmate Nie and wanted to break away from Wang. However, Wang refused and frequently abused her. Consequently, Zhai sought revenge. Before the incident, while chatting with her classmate Xiong, he expressed his willingness to make money, even going so far as to say, "I'd be willing to kill or set fires!" Soon after, Wang repeatedly pressured Zhai to stay with him in hotel rooms, which greatly annoyed her. Recalling Xiong's words, Zhai contacted Nie, and they agreed on a plan where Zhai would pay 450,000 yuan for Xiong to kill Wang.
On the day of the incident, Zhai lured Wang to the hotel. After Xiong entered the room under the pretense of delivering goods, he stabbed Wang multiple times immediately after Wang finished showering, causing his death.
The court ruled that Zhai and Xiong were guilty of intentional homicide and handed down the aforementioned sentences. It is reported that after the first-instance verdict, Zhai and others have filed an appeal.
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