Chinese influencer murder suspect arrested in Macau

A suspect linked to the alleged murder of Chinese influencer Yan Ruimin has been arrested in Macau, ensnared by a pawnshop scam.

Macau police announced the capture of the 34 year old suspect on Monday, July 15, identified only by his surname Ma, who had allegedly tried to defraud a pawnshop with a counterfeit luxury watch. During his detention, local police discovered that Ma, an unemployed Chinese national, was a prime murder suspect sought by mainland police.

Just two days earlier, the gruesome discovery of badly decomposed human remains was made at a deserted site in Chachoengsao, roughly 50 kilometres east of Bangkok. The remains are believed to be those of Yan Ruimin, a popular influencer on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, who vanished nearly two weeks prior. Yan, who boasted around 15,300 followers, had documented her travels across Thailand and Singapore, with her last post in May from Macau.

Yan last contacted a friend on June 30 while travelling alone. She revealed plans to visit Phuket on July 2 but never arrived. Her friend, alarmed by her sudden silence, filed a police report on July 12 after Yan’s family received a ransom demand of 5 million baht and a warning against involving the police or embassy.

Despite the ransom demand, Thailand’s Metropolitan Police Bureau ruled out the involvement of a transnational crime syndicate, suggesting instead that her disappearance was a personal matter. CCTV footage showed Yan entering a white Honda driven by a man on July 1 in Bangkok. The duo was later seen holding hands and eating durian at Khlong Toei market before leaving for Chon Buri.

Yan’s phone signal was detected near a public park in Chachoengsao on July 3 but it went silent shortly thereafter. A police search team uncovered decomposed human remains in the province on July 13.

Investigations revealed that the car had been rented in Bangkok by Ma Qingyan, who then returned it before flying to Hong Kong from Suvarnabhumi Airport on July 3. He was apprehended in Macau a week later, caught pawning a counterfeit watch, and was later arrested on July 12 while attempting to flee to Hong Kong.

Macau police handed Ma over to mainland police on Monday, July 15. Meanwhile, forensic scientists are working to identify the remains, with DNA results expected on Friday, July 19.

Supichai Limsiwawong, commander of the Police General Hospital’s Institute of Forensic Medicine explained that as the remains were badly decomposed, DNA samples had to be extracted from the bones, reported The Nation.

UPDATE: DNA results expected in missing Chinese TikTok star case

DNA test results on human remains believed to belong to a missing Chinese TikTok star are anticipated tomorrow, according to the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM) at Police General Hospital.

Identification of the body has been challenging due to significant decomposition and difficulties in obtaining DNA samples, noted IFM commander Supichai Limsiwawong. Chinese national 38 year old Yan Ruimin was reported missing in Thailand on July 1.

Her remains were found in a deserted area in Chachoengsao’s Mueang district last Saturday, July 13. Supichai explained that DNA samples had to be taken from the bones due to the advanced state of decomposition.

Medical X-rays and plastic surgery records are expected to aid in the identification process. Supichai added that the IFM might seek more information from the police handling the missing person’s case.

The forensic examination revealed no severe head injuries, as there were no skull fractures, ruptured brain tissues, or brain bleeding detected.

Chief of Bang Rak Police Station in Bangkok, Thammasak Sarabun mentioned that the investigation team is awaiting DNA test results from the IFM. These results will be compared to DNA samples provided by Yan’s father.

If the DNA from the remains matches that of Yan’s father, police will then seek an arrest warrant for Ma Qingyan, the prime suspect believed to have kidnapped and possibly killed Yan before dumping her body in Chachoengsao.

Yan’s father informed investigators that he was unfamiliar with the suspect and had no knowledge of his daughter’s purpose for visiting Thailand before her disappearance.

Further information about Yan’s activities in Thailand before her disappearance is expected from her elder sister, who is scheduled to meet with investigators tomorrow.

The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) ruled out the possibility of Yan being kidnapped for ransom by a transnational crime syndicate, suggesting that her disappearance was likely a personal matter, reported Bangkok Post.

ORIGINAL STORY: Thai police find body in 5 million baht ransom case of TikTok star

The Royal Thai Police (RTP) provided an update on the case of a Chinese student and TikTok star who went missing after a ransom demand of 1 million yuan (approximately 5 million baht). Yesterday, July 14, at 10.30am, investigators discovered a body believed to be Yan’s in a grassy area in Chachoengsao province.

Police and relevant agencies tracked the 38 year old’s phone signal to Chachoengsao and reviewed CCTV footage from July 1 to July 3. The footage revealed that Qingyan Ma, an alleged friend of Yan, had rented a car and taken her to the location. Yan’s burned suitcase was later found in the area. Ma left his apartment in the Srinakarin area of Bangkok and flew to Hong Kong that same afternoon.

From July 4 to July 6, Yan’s WeChat Pay account was used in Macau. Investigators suspect Ma is linked to Yan’s disappearance.

Yan’s body was discovered buried 20 centimetres deep under waste tiles in Mueang Chachoengsao, approximately 1 kilometre from where her suitcase was found. An initial autopsy indicated that the body had been buried for over ten days and was severely decomposed due to stagnant water in the soil.

Bloodstains were located in Ma’s Bangkok apartment and rental car. DNA tests are underway to compare the blood to the father of the TikTok star.

Yan’s family, unaware of her relationship with Ma, were informed by her brother-in-law, who had received the ransom call.

Ma, the suspect, has since travelled to Macau. Once Yan’s identity is confirmed, relevant agencies will seek an international warrant for Ma’s arrest and coordinate with international agencies to bring him to justice. However, Thai police have not publicly revealed the motive behind Yan’s murder as of the latest update, reported Pattaya News.