2016 became one of the darkest years in Chinese entertainment, marked by shocking deaths that stunned the public. Alongside the suspicious passing of actor Qiao Renliang, the murder of model Yang Li Ping (29) by her husband Zhu Xiaodong horrified the nation.
Murder and deception
According to police reports, on October 18, 2016, during a heated argument, Zhu strangled his wife Yang to death. He wrapped her body in bedsheets and hid it inside a refrigerator. For months, Zhu carried on as if nothing had happened. He even used Yang’s phone to send messages to family and friends, pretending she was still alive. He withdrew 200,000 RMB from her savings to fund hotel stays with another woman after the murder.
Shockingly, Yang’s mother often visited the couple’s home to clean and take care of their dog, never realizing her daughter’s body was hidden inside. It wasn’t until her father grew suspicious of her sudden lack of contact—especially when Yang missed Christmas with her family—that the truth unraveled. On his father-in-law’s 60th birthday, Zhu confessed at the police station alongside his mother.
Yang’s family had opposed the marriage from the beginning, describing Zhu as handsome but troubled—an alcoholic with strange hobbies like keeping dangerous reptiles. Out of love for their daughter, they reluctantly agreed to the marriage, only to face devastating consequences.
Death sentence for Zhu Xiaodong
Zhu was arrested in February 2017 and formally charged with murder that August. In court, he admitted to the crime and claimed that frequent arguments over lifestyle and his infidelity led to escalating tension. A final dispute after a trip to Hangzhou ended with him strangling his wife in a fit of rage.
On August 23, 2017, the Shanghai People’s Court sentenced Zhu to death. His parents never attended the hearings, reportedly fearing confrontation with Yang’s grieving family and public outrage.
Yang’s loved ones were left devastated. They couldn’t even hold a proper funeral, as her remains were severely compromised. Covered with a white cloth and sprinkled with rose water to mask the smell, her body was laid to rest in heartbreaking circumstances. To this day, Zhu and his family have never issued an apology.
Sources: kenh14
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