Kaohsiung prosecutors yesterday indicted Armia Panaglima of the Philippines, the girlfriend of US citizen David Michael Fillion, and asked for the death sentence for her alleged involvement in the September murder of a Kaohsiung teaching agent.
Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office spokesman Chung Chung-hsiao (鍾忠孝) told reporters that "because Panaglima cruelly killed a woman who had no animosity toward her, and she showed no regret during the investigation, prosecutors decided to ask the Kaoshiung District Court to sentence Panaglima to death."
Panaglima is charged with robbery and murder, Chung said.
Chung said prosecutors found insufficient evidence to show that Fillion had anything to do with the murder.
He said prosecutors have lifted the ban prohibiting Fillion from leaving the country.
Kaohsiung prosecutors began an investigation into the murder after a woman's body was found in a garbage bag in Kaohsiung's Yencheng District (鹽埕) on Sept. 15.
Panaglima is suspected of killing 48-year-old Chou Mei-yun (
Prosecutors said Panaglima met Chou at her residence on Sept. 15. She allegedly wanted Chou to lend her some money but Chou refused.
The suspect is said to have hit Chou in the face and then to have robbed her of her ATM cards, credit cards and cash.
But as Chou refused to reveal the card PIN numbers, Panaglima then allegedly attacked Chou with a kitchen knife and killed her.
Chou was a broker who helped foreigners find teaching jobs at private schools in and around the Kaohsiung area.
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