Elderly couple found dead in Sau Mau Ping, grief over late son seen as possible motive

Police believe grief over the death of a son may have been a factor in a suspected murder-suicide involving an elderly couple found dead in a flat at Po Tat Estate in Sau Mau Ping on Wednesday.

Officers received a report at around 4pm that a person was suspected to have attempted suicide in a unit at Tat Yan House. Firefighters forced entry into the flat and discovered the bodies of an elderly man and woman inside.

Initial investigations indicate the case involves murder and suicide. The man was found hanging in the bathroom, while the woman was lying on a bed with facial injuries, including bruising and swelling around the eye, and was covered with a blanket.

The case is being handled by the Sau Mau Ping District crime squad.

Sources said the deceased were a divorced couple, a 77-year-old man surnamed Lau and a 71-year-old woman surnamed Tsui. Their only son had previously died. The couple reportedly divorced in the middle of last year but continued living together.

Earlier on Wednesday, the man’s sister received a message from him expressing thoughts of ending his life and reuniting with his deceased son. Concerned for his safety, she and another relative went to the flat and knocked on the door but received no response, prompting them to report the case to the authorities.

The bodies were removed from the scene by Food and Environmental Hygiene Department staff and taken to the mortuary in the early hours of Thursday.

 

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