News
Former Taiwanese actor Lee Wei named murder suspect of fellow Buddhist group member
Lee was known for his role in the drama "Toast Boy’s Kiss" in the early 2000s, and being part of pop duo WeWe.
February 27, 2025, 07:14 PM
Former Taiwanese actor Lee Wei, 44, was named a suspect in the murder of a woman from his Buddhist group.
The 52-year-old woman, Tsai, was found dead in July 2024 on the first floor of a residential block in Tapei, where the group would meet.
She had sustained injuries on her entire body.
The former actor and his wife Chien were initially witnesses in the murder case but were named suspects by the prosecutors on Feb. 24 after being interrogated four and two times respectively.
Their home was also searched by the police.
A secret recording found during investigations suggests that Lee may have helped coordinate suspects' statements to conceal the truth from the police, reported local news outlets.
Lee also allegedly encouraged the suspects to say they "forgot" or "don't remember" when interrogated by police.
The Taipei Monastery Murder
Tsai was a devout follower of Taiwanese Buddhist and Taoist practitioner Wang Yun, 64.
She was allegedly punished by several members of the group at Wang's instructions for mishandling the group's accounts.
The victim was forced to kneel on the floor and repent, as well as endure physical assault.
Surveillance footage revealed that three people—Wu Huizhu, Li Yuanyuan, and Jiang Pengyu—placed Tsai's body into a cart to the meeting place, and left it there without calling emergency services.
Lee and his wife were reportedly present at the scene and allegedly had a hand in the abuse.
Tsai's bank accounts, which contained more than NT$2 million (S$83,000) in total, were emptied after her death, Taipei Times reported.
An autopsy confirmed that Tsai died from rhabdomyolysis, a condition where one's muscles break down, usually due to overexertion or trauma.
Wang is a prime suspect in the murder case, which has since been dubbed the Taipei Monastery Murder by local news outlets.
Lee released on bail
Lee and his wife Chien were released on NT$300,000 (S$12,200) and NT$150,000 (S$6,100) bail respectively, after they were summoned to give statements regarding Tsai's death.
13 people are suspected to have been involved in the murder.
Lee was most popularly known for his role in the drama "Toast Boy’s Kiss" in the early 2000s, and being part of pop duo WeWe.
He is believed to have become a devout Buddhist follower in recent years after leaving the entertainment industry.
Top image via Taiwan EBC News/YouTube and IMDB
