A 64-year-old disabled man was early on Friday found dead and his 71-year-old brother seriously injured at their home in Changhua County’s Ershuei Township (二水) in what could be an attempted murder-suicide, police said on Friday.
First responders entered the home after receiving a call at about 12:20am, Changhua Police Department’s Tianjhong Precinct said.
They found the elder brother, surnamed Chen (陳), unconscious with a cut across his left wrist and cuts on each side of his neck, police said, adding that he was sent to Chu Shang Show Chwan Hospital in Nantou County, where he was stable, but in serious condition.
Chen’s younger brother was found dead in a bedroom with ligature marks around his neck, they said.
Police are forming a task force to investigate the incident, and are to question the elder brother as soon as he is healthy enough for them to do so, they said, adding that a preliminary investigation suggests that the younger brother was strangled and the elder brother attempted suicide.
A neighbor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the elder brother was the second of four brothers, and had been living in their family home to care for his youngest brother, who was partially paralyzed following a stroke.
The other brothers live in Taipei, the person said, adding that the third-eldest brother reportedly learned of the incident after receiving a disturbing phone message from the second-eldest, who said: “I am really tired.”
Sources said that the second-eldest brother allegedly left three suicide notes at the scene.
The relationship of the brothers living in Ershuei had reportedly soured and the elder brother filed assault charges against his younger brother, who allegedly attacked him with a heavy object while he was sleeping, the neighbor said.
They were to appear in court on the day of the incident, the neighbor said.
The Changhua Department of Social Affairs said the brothers had received government aid since 2020, adding that it had been concerned about their living situation and had initiated the process of placing the younger brother in a care facility.
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Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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