In Wuhan, an 18-year-old young man named Zhou Xinyuan went missing recently, and his body was found in the water five days later. The suspect, a former neighbor, claimed it was an accidental killing.
Zhou Xinyuan, who was 1.78 meters tall and weighed 180 catties, had just completed the college entrance examination and received his admission letter. According to a missing person notice issued by his family, Zhou Xinyuan left home near Zongguan, Qiaokou District, Wuhan on the morning of August 2 and lost contact.
Zhou Xinyuan’s sister told the media that their parents were often away, and she had raised her younger brother on her own. On the day he went missing, she initially thought he was out with classmates, but as he didn’t return home, she called his phone and noticed that his speech seemed abnormal. There was reportedly an adult male voice, sounding around 30 years old, instructing him quietly on how to respond to her questions. She suspected that her brother was being controlled by someone. After that call, his phone was turned off.
Surveillance footage showed that Zhou Xinyuan was last seen at a bus stop in Hanyang on the day he went missing. He was seen getting into a ride-hailing car with an elderly man in gray clothing. The ride-hailing driver was later located and stated that the two got off at an intersection in Caidian District.
After Zhou Xinyuan went missing, his family posted missing person notices everywhere and searched all corners of Wuhan without success. It was not until the evening of the 7th that his body was found in the water. The police reported on August 8 that the suspect had been apprehended and was under criminal detention.
The perpetrator, 64-year-old Deng, was a former long-time neighbor of the Zhou family and had some distant relation to their father. However, their families had a strained relationship with some past grievances, yet Deng denied any intent to murder. He claimed that during an argument with Zhou, he accidentally caused harm.
Zhou Xinyuan’s sister expressed disbelief, stating that “He has always been lying.” She also felt speechless at the inaction of the police.
The incident has sparked widespread attention online. Many netizens expressed sorrow, questioning why so many young people have been facing tragedies in recent years. They lamented the loss of a promising youth and called for justice to be served. Some criticized the delay in reporting the crime and expressed empathy for the family’s suffering.
The tragedy of Zhou Xinyuan’s untimely death has left many questioning the state of society and the world at large, with a sense of disbelief at such senseless violence taking the life of a young man on the brink of his future.