Photo of ‘neighbor killer’ circulates online

A photograph of the man who allegedly bludgeoned his 63-year-old neighbor to death when she caught him ransacking her home in Kwai Fong, has been circulated online.

The 25-year-old jobless man was said to have fled to Japan following the incident, with Hong Kong police seeking help from Interpol.

It is understood that the suspect, named Deran, had been living with the neighbor of victim Leung Suet-hing in Kwai Fong Terrace's third block for three years.

Deran was enrolled at Hang Seng University in 2019, but withdrew after the first year. He was not gainfully employed but became addicted to gambling and was heavily in debt.

It is understood that Deran repeatedly borrowed money from friends.

His family helped him repay more than HK$200,000 of his debt but he continued to gamble and even stole money from his father's cancer treatment savings.

This led to his mother kicking him out of the house. She has not contacted him since June 2019.

Derran knew the daughter of Leung's neighbor, Choi, on Telegram and asked her to take him in, telling her his family had severed ties with him due to his participation in the 2019 protests.

Since Choi was studying in the United Kingdom at the time, she agreed to house him from April 2020, introducing him to neighbors as her nephew.

He lied to Choi that he graduated from City University, and told others he was studying at the Department of Nursing at Caritas.

His lies continued as he met his girlfriend on an illegal gambling website, posing as an accountant who earned HK$40,000 a month.

During his stay with Choi, Deran was heard several times in the corridor of the building answering calls from debt collection companies, a resident said.

It is understood that the suspect fled to Japan before the murder was discovered.

According to the Surrender of Fugitive Agreement listed by the Department of Justice, there is no accord signed with Japan.

But Hong Kong has signed a Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Order with Japan in 2008.

It states that Japan shall provide assistance in connection with investigations, prosecutions and other proceedings in criminal matters at Hong Kong's requests - including the transfer of a person in custody for assisting in investigations and prosecutions, as well as locating or identifying persons, items or places.

Barrister Albert Luk Wai-hung said Hong Kong police should now strive to collect evidence to prove that the suspect is related to the murder and then notify the Japanese police to pursue the suspect in accordance with the agreement signed.

But if Japanese police refuse to cooperate, the only other solution is for the Chinese government to negotiate with the Japanese government at the diplomatic level, Luk said.

A senior police officer said after reporting to Interpol that the suspect could still be asked to return to his place of origin by canceling his visa.

Leung was found dead by her live-in boyfriend on Tuesday night.

Leung was believed to have caught her killer ransacking her flat after returning home alone.

Police said the killer repeatedly struck her to death with a crowbar and left the bloodstained weapon in the flat.

There was no forced entry as the killer used a spare key which the victim had left with her neighbor.