A local man who was killed by his son with a fruit knife in a flat in Areia Preta district early Tuesday suffered from a mental illness, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokeswoman Lei Hon Nei said during a special press conference in Zape yesterday.
Lei identified the suspect as a 28-year-old unemployed local man, the only son of the 55-year-old victim surnamed Wong.
According to Lei, Wong suffered from a mental illness and had been regularly visiting the public Conde de Sao Januario Hospital Centre for specialist treatment since 1995, and his condition had improved since then. Wong had previously been living with his two daughters, the suspect’s elder sisters, in another flat.
Lei said that in 2013 the suspect graduated in Taiwan and returned to Macau, but had not worked since. In 2015, Wong’s wife died, and the following year he moved into the flat in Man On Building with his son.
Lei noted that as neither the victim nor the suspect were working, they stayed at home most of the time and had little interaction. However, the two often quarrelled over minor problems, but there was no violence, according to Lei.
Lei said that after repeatedly failing to find a job, the suspect “didn’t want to work”.
Another PJ officer at the press conference described the two men’s relationship as being like between tenant and landlord.
In the small hours of Tuesday morning, according to Lei, they had another argument. The quarrel became physical and escalated into a fight. At around 3 a.m. the suspect got his father in a chokehold causing the victim to black out. The suspect later went to the kitchen to get the fruit knife, with which he and stabbed and cut his father’s neck.
The suspect afterwards called “999” and reported the incident himself. The victim was transferred to the public hospital for emergency treatment. The hospital at around 7 p.m. on Tuesday notified the Judiciary Police (PJ) of the victims’ death.
Relatives on Tuesday told the police that the suspect had suffered from a mental disorder. However, the preliminary result of a mental status examination showed no abnormalities.
During questioning, the suspect told the police he felt that his father would hurt him, and hence attacked him.
According to Lei, the fruit knife measures 12 centimetres in length while the wound on the victim’s neck is six centimetres long.
The case has been transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (MP).
Lei said the suspect was facing an aggravated murder charge, according to Article 129 of the Macau Penal Code. Aggravated murder is punishable by between 15 and 25 years’ imprisonment.
The 12-centimetre-long fruit knife, with which the murder suspect stabbed and cut his father’s neck on Tuesday morning, is displayed in a police pressroom yesterday. Photo: Iong Tat Choi
