12-12-2024 (SINGAPORE) A 42-year-old man appeared before the National Court yesterday, charged with the murder of a female employee at a local hardware store.
Du Zaixing stood accused via video link of fatally stabbing 34-year-old Dao Thi Hong at Quan Long Hardware Store on Hougang Street 21. The defendant, sporting a grey top and cropped hair, maintained a composed demeanour throughout the proceedings.
The brutal attack, which unfolded around 11am on Tuesday, also left a 26-year-old male colleague injured after he attempted to intervene. The young man, who sustained serious liver injuries from a knife wound to his abdomen, has since undergone successful surgery and is reported to be in stable condition.
The prosecution successfully petitioned for a week-long remand of the accused to facilitate ongoing investigations, including crime scene reconstruction and evidence gathering. The case has been adjourned until December 19.
The incident has left deep scars in the community, particularly affecting the victim’s family. Mrs Dao leaves behind three young children, aged between 7 and 10, and a devastated husband who remains stranded overseas due to passport issues. Her sister, who rushed to Singapore upon hearing the tragic news, was overcome with emotion when visiting the crime scene on Wednesday evening.
Local residents gathered yesterday at a makeshift shrine erected behind the shuttered hardware store, where mourners laid flowers and burned incense in memory of the deceased.
