Five suspects have been arrested following the discovery of a disfigured corpse in Changhua County’s Yuanlin City (員林) on Saturday, police said.
The body, found by passersby along Hushuei Road, bore multiple deep slashes across the face, and the eyeballs had been gouged out, police said.
The two main suspects, surnamed Chang (張) and Wu (吳), were taken into custody in connection with the alleged murder and are being held incommunicado, authorities said.
Photo: Yen Hung-chun, Taipei Times
An initial investigation suggests the death might be linked to illegal drug transactions, police said.
The victim appeared to have been subjected to prolonged torture before his death, with the majority of his facial skin removed, they said.
“The body was discovered in a horrifyingly disfigured state, with the victim’s face almost reduced to the skull,” officials said.
Prosecutors and police interrogated Chang and Wu overnight, before applying to have them held incommunicado amid concerns they might tamper with evidence.
The involvement of the other three suspects remains under investigation, authorities added.
Prosecutors confirmed that a preliminary autopsy has been completed, and a full autopsy has been scheduled to determine the precise cause of death and further details of the crime.
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