Summary of "Crimewatch 2015 EP4 | Yishun triple murders"

Incident overview

A neighbour’s 999 call about shouting and a woman falling from a Yishun flat prompted police to attend and led to the discovery of three deaths and one injured person inside the unit.

Officers found:

Two women deceased in a bedroom.
One woman deceased on the ground outside the flat.
One surviving victim inside the unit.
Multiple blood-stained weapons inside the flat (see Forensic findings).

Scene and evidence recovered

Weapons recovered inside the flat included:

Knives (including one found under a mattress)
A chopper
A metal spatula

Other notable scene evidence:

Blood splatters on the outside of the kitchen window.
Blood on a padlock; the padlock contained the accused’s blood.
Signs of trauma on the victims (details below under Forensic findings).

Victims and accused

Victims: Zhang Meng; her daughter Feng Jianyu; Yang Jie; Li Meilin.
Accused: Wang Zhijian — a visitor from Tianjin who had been in a relationship with Zhang Meng.

Wang admitted attacking Zhang Meng, Feng Jianyu and Li Meilin, but denied causing Yang Jie’s death, claiming Yang Jie fell during the incident. He stated motives including financial disputes, perceived mistreatment, and arguments over money/food.

Forensic and investigative findings

Forensic and crime-scene analysis contradicted Wang’s account. Key findings included:

Blood from Zhang Meng and Feng Jianyu matched blood found on a knife located under a mattress.
Li Meilin’s blood was present on other weapons recovered inside the flat, linking those weapons to her killing.
None of the blood on the weapons matched Yang Jie.
Yang Jie’s autopsy showed cuts and bruising on her fingers consistent with gripping something tightly, suggesting she was forced during the attack.
Blood splatters were found on the outside of the kitchen window and on a padlock (the latter containing Wang’s blood).
Investigators concluded Yang Jie was forced and fell from the kitchen window during the attack.

Investigative agencies and process

Multiple agencies and units worked on the case over roughly two years:

Ang Mo Kio Police Division
CID Special Investigation Section (SIS)
Forensic Management Branch
Health Sciences Authority
Scene processors, evidence/documentation teams, and the operations/duty room

The collaborative forensic and police work was central to processing evidence and building the case.

Legal proceedings and outcome

Initial trial (2012): Wang was convicted of Yang Jie’s murder and found guilty of culpable homicide (not amounting to murder) for the deaths of Zhang Meng and Feng Jianyu.
The Prosecution appealed. The Court of Appeal later convicted Wang of all three murders.
Wang’s appeal was dismissed in 2014 and he received the death penalty.

Key lessons and public message

Forensic evidence can crucially overturn an accused person’s version of events.
Complex investigations often require coordinated work among multiple police and forensic agencies over an extended period.
Timely public assistance can be decisive; the neighbour’s 999 call was instrumental in bringing the case to the authorities’ attention.

The programme encouraged members of the public to call 999 when a serious crime or danger is suspected.

Presenters / contributors (as named in the episode)

DSP Julius Lim (presenter, sign-off)
SIO Desmond Tan (investigating officer)
Jason (investigator/forensic team member)
Ryan (investigator/scene processor)
Tay (evidence/documentation)
Amirah Binte Apit (neighbour who called 999)
Wang Zhijian (accused)
Victims: Zhang Meng; Feng Jianyu; Yang Jie; Li Meilin
Agencies involved: Ang Mo Kio Police Division; CID Special Investigation Section; Forensic Management Branch; Health Sciences Authority; SCDF; Ops room / duty officer (SIS)