The convener of the 76 Monks volunteer funeral services group Chen Hsiu-chiang (陳修將) was arrested last night after almost a year as a fugitive, having been sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in prison for beating and killing a woman in 2021.
Following a lengthy investigation, Changhua County Police Department apprehended Chen at a rented residence in Changhua’s Yuanlin City (員林).
Photo: Taipei Times
Chen's sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court in April last year, finding him guilty of injury resulting in death under Article 277 of the Criminal Code.
The woman, surnamed Hu (胡), was an employee at a funeral parlor Chen operated, and the two were involved in an extra-marital affair, the court said.
In October 2021, Chen took Hu to a Changhua motel while evading debt collectors.
He suspected she was involved with another man, beating her multiple times which resulted in her death.
Hu had cerebral bleeding, spat up brown liquid and her entire body was bruised, the court said.
Chen denied the assault upon arrest, but the Changhua District Prosecutors’ Office brought charges of homicide against him and requested severe punishment.
The first trial at the Changhua District Court found Chen guilty of injury resulting in death and sentenced him to nine years and six months in prison.
The second trial at the Taichung Branch of the High Court increased the sentence to 10 years and 10 months and set bail at NT$300,000.
The Supreme Court in April last year upheld the ruling and finalized the sentence.
Chen failed to report to serve his sentence by the deadline of May 31 last year.
Prosecutors applied to the court in July last year to confiscate his bail, which was granted on July 29 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Chen’s prosecution period was extended until 2064, a total of 40 years.
The 76 Monks is a nonprofit organization formed by funeral professionals to provide volunteer embalming services.
The organization helped efforts in the aftermath the 2014 Penghu County airplane crash, the 2014 Kaohsiung gas explosions and the 2021 derailment of a Taroko Express train in Hualien County.
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