Taipei prosecutors charge six over 51-hour torture murder of teenager in gang revenge case

Prosecutors in Taipei have charged six adults with torture leading to death after a 19-year-old man was brutally killed over 51 hours in July for allegedly trying to date a gang member's girlfriend.

The Taipei District Prosecutors' Office indicted the 26-year-old prime suspect, surnamed Li, and five other adults on Monday. Seven minors were referred to juvenile court.

Li, who claimed affiliation with the Bamboo Union's Hong Ren Hui gang, allegedly orchestrated the torture after discovering the victim, surnamed Chang, had privately messaged his 17-year-old girlfriend on Instagram. The girlfriend lured Chang to a hotel room where Li and accomplices were hiding with baseball bats, machetes and stun guns.

The victim endured extensive torture including having his head slammed against walls, his body hair burned with lighters, and eventually having his teeth broken with a hammer and cut with pet nail clippers before being stabbed in the back and shoulders.

After 51 hours of torture, Chang died from complications and massive blood loss. The case came to light when police investigating drug cases discovered his body at a betel nut shop where the final torture occurred.