Taipei District prosecutors yesterday said they have more evidence pointing to artist Chang Chih-cheng’s (張志成) alleged role in helping his wife commit suicide.
On Saturday, Chang’s wife, Chen Ling-hui (陳綾蕙), 42, was found dead at their home in Taipei. Police reports showed that she died after burning charcoal in her bedroom.
Chen appears to have written a suicide note that said she and her husband were tired and instructed that her organs be donated. However, investigators and prosecutors found inconsistencies in Chang’s account of events and remained suspicious that he might have helped Chen take her own life.
Assisting a suicide is a criminal offense, even if the person who assisting was asked to do so by the person who died. It is punishable by up to seven years in prison.
Prosecutors said they had evidence that Chang bought the coal his wife used to killed herself. Chang, 55, said his wife was originally going to buy the coal but because she was not dressed appropriately, Chang went out and bought the coal instead.
Prosecutors said they are suspicious of Chang’s explanation because his wife could have easily changed her clothes and gone out to buy the coal herself.
Prosecutors are also probing the reason why the couple slept in different rooms on the night of Chen’s death and said evidence suggests Chang may have sealed the bedroom door.
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