A taxi driver in China noticed something amiss when a man tried to board his vehicle with a bloodstained luggage.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the 33-year-old man, Xie Lei, was later arrested for allegedly killing a 19-year-old woman, then hiding her body in the luggage.

Foul smell

Sina reported that Xie had hailed a taxi in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Sep. 7, in Taihe county of Jiangxi, southeast China.

The driver became suspicious of Xie while helping him lift his luggage into the cab's boot, noting it was emanating a foul smell, and had blood stains on the surface.

According to SCMP, the victim was later identified as a 19-year-old woman, who had been a colleague of Xie at a local KTV bar.

Xie had worked in the bar as a manager before he quit in August.

Upon seeing the driver call the police, Xie reportedly fled the scene, leaving the luggage behind.

He was, however, subsequently arrested by local police the next day, Sep. 8, in a residential community in a neighbouring county.

Local residents told Chinese media that Xie had allegedly ridden a bicycle to the residential community, and was caught while resting at an apartment there, according to SCMP.

Caught

Before his arrest, Xie had abandoned his clothes, stealing a red t-shirt and four apples meant as offerings to the God of Fortune by local residents, in efforts to blend in.

Police said the case remains under investigation, as it is unclear how Xie allegedly killed the woman or what his motive was.

The police also offered a 30,000 yuan (S$6,236) reward on Sep. 7, appealing to residents for any information that could help provide a breakthrough in their investigation.

SCMP reported that the woman had been a migrant worker for many years, and been in contact with her family days before she was allegedly killed.

Top images via Weibo