Taiwanese actor Lee Wei relisted as suspect in Buddhist sect murder case
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TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwanese actor Lee Wei (李威) on Monday was renamed as a suspect in the death of a female devotee of a Buddhist group in Taipei.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office detained multiple suspects and summoned Lee three times to testify in a murder case involving a female devotee that occurred at a Buddhist center in Taipei’s Daan District last year, per CNA. On Monday, prosecutors directed the police to search Lee’s residence, re-summoning him for further testimony and renaming him as a defendant.
On July 24, 2024, a female devotee surnamed Tsai (蔡) was allegedly subjected to “physical punishment and bullying” under the collective pressure of Buddhist writer Wang Yun (王薀), senior female disciples, and several followers, per UDN. She was forced to kneel and repent for several hours before she collapsed.
The Daan District Police in Taipei received a report from the religious group’s chair surnamed Wu (吳), who said Tsai was found lying unconscious at a Buddhist center on Siwei Road. When the police arrived, they discovered that Tsai had lost all vital signs.
An autopsy found Tsai’s body was covered in bruises and concluded that she died from rhabdomyolysis. This is a serious medical condition that “occurs when damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood,” per the CDC.
Police discovered through surveillance footage that on the evening of July 24, 2024, Wu, a male devotee also surnamed Lee (李), a female devotee surnamed Chiang (姜), and Tsai had gathered at a restaurant for a study session when the alleged incident occurred. After Tsai became unresponsive, Wu, Lee, and Chiang placed Tsai in a handcart, pushed her to the Buddhist center, dumped her body there, and departed separately.
There was no record of them calling emergency services.
Following further investigation, prosecutors and police traced the case to Wu, writer Wang Yun (王薀), and several others. Authorities have carried out two rounds of searches and interviews, eventually charging 13 individuals, including Wang and three others currently in custody.
Content retrieved from: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6045014.
