A 50-year-old unemployed male, Law Wai-man, was charged with killing his 34-year-old girlfriend, Sony Lau Lai-chi, who he was living with at the time in Po Kin House, Po Lam Estate, Tseung Kwan O in Hong Kong in 2019.
Law subsequently hid Sony Lau’s body under a bunk bed after beating and killing her. Law was found guilty on Oct. 28 and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend, Sony Lau, in 2019.
The investigation and forensic examinations revealed that the deceased female victim, Lau, had 101 bruises and abrasions on the head, body, and limbs, 14 rib fractures, and moderate to large bleeding.
The victim’s neck might have been bound and pressed. Forensics confirmed that the victim died due to blunt trauma to her chest during a struggle or attack. Evidence of methamphetamine inside Lau’s system might have accelerated the process.
When the police found the body, the victim’s chest was bloody and decayed; her lungs and heart were extensively bruised.
The Discovery
Initially, when the police inspected a hostel in Kowloon City on the evening of March 19, they arrested the wanted defendant, Law Wai-man, on charges of possessing offensive weapons in a different case. When the police returned to the unit to sweep for evidence, they then unexpectedly discovered the body of the victim, 34-year-old female Sony Law.The Hong Kong police then arrested Law again on the charge of murder.
Detective Police Officer Ho Lung, from the East Kowloon Crime Investigation Department, was at the crime scene when the body was discovered.
Officer Ho said the police had received a tip that the defendant had sent a message claiming he had committed murder.
Ho pointed out that the police arrived at the unit in Po Lam Estate in the early hours on March 19, 2019.
The police obtained the key from the defendant to open the door.
Detective officer Ho said nothing was suspicious in the kitchen, bathroom, or living room.
The police saw a bunk bed and determined the only place the body could be was under the bed since the top bunk was already full of debris.
The officer continued, “We moved to the bottom of the bunk bed for inspection. We lifted the mattress. On the left side, something was covered by a white duvet, and a human hand was dangling out. Once we moved everything, there was a full corpse with spots.”
When Ho found the body, the victim was facing the ground, with the back upward.
“A pink top with white earphones strangled on the victim’s neck. Black ropes bounded her left wrist. The deceased also sustained bruises and cuts on the back, arms, and legs.” The detective officer said. Upon the coroner’s instructions, the body was removed from the scene.
“At the time, The body was lying on some bedsheets and a mattress.” the officer depicted.
According to the police report, the victim’s identity card and bank cards were in the unit, but the police found no drugs at the crime scene.
What Led to The Victim’s Death
According to the defendant’s testimonial, he and the victim were a couple sharing the unit in Tseung Kwan o since the beginning of 2019. The victim had taken the defendant Law in and offered him shelter when he had nowhere else to go as he was wanted by the police.While it was confirmed medicinally that the deceased had suffered from schizophrenic episodes, the defendant claimed that the victim initiated arguments with him between March 14 and 15, 2019. At one point, the victim had lifted her shirt, accusing the defendant of indecent assault and rape.
The defendant pointed out that the deceased was shouting while pacing around. Worried that it might cause suspicion and expose his whereabouts, Law tied her hand to the window.
“She shouted, so I gagged her with a towel. She screamed again. So I slapped her a few times. Whenever she screamed or woke me up, I would punch her.” The defendant then said he only slapped her a few times and kicked her four times.
The defendant then went to sleep on the couch. Once he woke, the defendant claimed her body was cold and motionless. That was when he suspected his girlfriend, Sony Law, had died. He realized she was not moving when he woke up. He waited for 30 minutes. So he decided to put her body under the bunk bed mattress.
The defendant said he cleaned the crime scene, took some meth, and left the unit.
After he left, the defendant mentioned to some close friends and his older brother that he might have killed someone.
Later, The defendant contacted his daughter using Facebook. Law claimed he had killed the victim because she accused him of rape and indecent assault. He said he punched her until her skull split wide open, and there was lots of blood. “You must be ashamed that I am your father. You deserve better. I beat Sony to death.” The defendant confessed to his daughter.
In the conversation, the defendant mentioned how angry he was on the day of the murder. He confessed that he had punched Sony Law repeatedly until she became quiet.
“I just wanted her to shut up for a minute.” the defendant said.
Prosecutors added that since no one was present when the killing happened, the case details mostly came from the defendant.
In her testimonial, Law’s daughter said she received a message from her father, the defendant Law Wai-man, about his plan to flee to Vietnam. She questioned whether Sony Lau was genuinely dead and where he had hidden her body. The defendant demanded to speak to his daughter on the phone. Law’s daughter did not ever call back. She did not believe he would kill someone and thought he was calling for money.
Verdict Unanimous
On Oct. 26, after a deliberation of 5.5 hours, a jury of five women and three men unanimously ruled that the defendant Law Wai-man was guilty of murdering Sony Lau. Law was sentenced to life imprisonment.In Hong Kong, a life sentence is the only option for anyone who commits murder.
On Oct. 28, the judge stated after hearing the defendant’s plea. It was cruel for the defendant to kill the victim after she had offered the wanted man shelter. The judge continued to say it was evident on the victim’s body how cruel the defendant was to the deceased, adding that what the defendant did, caused the victim and her family indelible wounds.
The judge then gave the defendant Law Wai-man, a life sentence as that is the only option for murder crimes and that he should be consequences for his actions.
Before giving the verdict, High Court Judge Chan Chung-hang also pointed out that the defendant had ten different criminal records before the murder. Law had received sentencing as well in other cases. He was given 18 months of probation for being a triad member, 24 months of probation for breaking and entering, a fine of HK$1,000 (US$127) for assaulting others and causing bodily harm, a fine of $2,000 (US$255) for possessing an illegal information transmitter, six months imprisonment for indecent assault, and six weeks imprisonment for criminal intimidation with an 18-month probation.
