19-4-2024 (SIGNAPORE) A Singaporean man made his first court appearance in Spain on Friday, three days after his arrest in connection with the shocking death of a fellow Singaporean woman, Ms. Audrey Fang. The 39-year-old victim was found with multiple stab wounds near a parking area for lorries in the town of Abanilla on April 10th, according to Spanish media reports.
The 43-year-old suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, arrived at a court in the southeastern city of Cieza around 9.20 am local time, as reported by La Verdad de Murcia, a prominent Spanish news outlet. Ms. Fang’s grieving family and their legal representative were also present in Cieza, having previously identified her body amid the harrowing circumstances.
In a significant development, the presiding judge acceded to the lawyer’s request to remand the accused in custody while investigations into the tragic incident continue. The suspect was denied bail, according to reports from La Opinion de Murcia.
The heartbreaking case has cast a pall over the Singaporean community, with details emerging that Ms. Fang had arrived in Spain on April 4th for a solo trip, originally scheduled to return to her homeland on April 12th. Tragically, she went missing after leaving her hotel room in the coastal town of Javea on the evening of April 9th, around 8.45 pm, with her belongings left behind in the luxury accommodation.
Her lifeless body was discovered approximately 150 km away the following day but was only positively identified on April 17th, nearly a week after the grim discovery.
According to El Espanol, a Spanish news outlet, Ms. Fang’s remains were stumbled upon by the chief inspector of the local police division while en route to breakfast, setting off a wave of investigations and ultimately leading to the arrest of the Singaporean suspect.
A preliminary autopsy report, as reported by La Verdad de Murcia, indicated that knife wounds and head trauma were the cause of Ms. Fang’s untimely demise. Forensic experts have collected the necessary samples, and her body could be released for repatriation in the coming hours if the court grants authorization.
Chilling details have emerged from the ongoing investigation, with La Opinion de Murcia reporting that surveillance footage captured Ms. Fang being picked up from her hotel in a vehicle driven by the accused individual. The Civil Guard, Spain’s national police force, reportedly identified the model of the vehicle and traced its movements through Alicante, Javea, and Abanilla, ultimately leading to the suspect’s arrest in Alicante.
#OperacionesGC I Detenido el presunto autor del homicidio de una mujer en Abanilla (#Murcia)
➡️El cuerpo sin vida de la mujer, natural de Singapur, fue localizado el pasado día 10 de abril en una explanada próxima al estacionamiento de un restaurante
➡️Los investigadores… pic.twitter.com/zN8BBkWqPv
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) April 19, 2024
