On August 13, the victim’s family members informed reporters that since the captain’s body has not been recovered and his death cannot be confirmed, the case is still in the process of gathering additional evidence and has not yet entered litigation proceedings. The family was recently notified that the suspect has applied for a psychiatric evaluation.
On April 6, Xiaoxing received a call from the police informing her that the involved vessel had docked, the suspect had been apprehended, and her father’s body had not been found. After cooperating with the police by providing blood samples and other procedures, the family waited for further investigation of the case.
It is reported that the suspect involved is the ship’s second mate, who had previously accompanied the deceased captain on several voyages.
On August 26, 2024, the father left home to work in the international waters of the Indian Ocean. If everything went smoothly, he was scheduled to return in late June 2025.
A close friend of the deceased captain, Mr. Wu (pseudonym), told reporters that he knew the victim well. On the night before the captain’s death (March 10), the captain was still discussing his daughter’s wedding with friends. “The body hasn’t been found. They searched for over ten days but couldn’t find it,” Mr. Wu said.
Xiaoxing explained that the case has not yet reached the court litigation stage, and the legal representative has not been able to obtain more details. The family learned from the investigating police that evidence is still being supplemented, and the police stated that the current evidence “cannot prove my father is dead.”
At the same time, they received a call from personnel responsible for psychiatric evaluations, informing them that the suspect had applied for a psychiatric evaluation and asking whether the victim’s family needed to submit additional supporting materials.
Zhao Cong stated that even if the victim’s body cannot be found, the facts of the case can still be determined, leading to conviction and sentencing. China’s Criminal Procedure Law clearly stipulates that if indirect evidence is verified, corroborated, and forms a complete evidentiary chain, a unique conclusion consistent with logic and empirical judgment can be reached.
Under the premise of murder and body disposal in international waters, the absence of the victim’s remains has a reasonable explanation and does not indicate unclear facts.
“Of course, this significantly increases reliance on indirect evidence, especially the suspect’s confession and witness testimony, placing higher demands on investigative work.”
Zhao Cong added, “It should be noted that under the system requiring death penalty review, the inability to locate the victim’s body may affect the determination of factors such as the completed form of the crime and the presence of accomplices, thereby influencing sentencing, particularly the application of the death penalty.”
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