Man, 42, from China, allegedly strangled & used scissors to cut up body of transgender woman, 25, in Thailand

A man from China has confessed to killing a Thai transgender woman in Pattaya, Thailand.

He is accused of cutting the victim up to remove her body parts as he wanted to “play” with the body, Thai media reported on Apr. 27.

However, Pattaya police have rejected organ harvesting rumours, after the news made international headlines.

What happened

The victim is 25-year-old Woranun Pannacha.

The suspect was identified by Thai police as 42-year-old Fu Tongyuen from Hubei province, China.

Fu was arrested at the airport in Bangkok before he could flee the country back home.

Authorities are urging the public to wait for autopsy results.

The location of the murder was apparently a rented apartment room in central Pattaya, Khaosod English reported.

Met and wanted to hook up

Fu told the police he met the victim on Apr. 25 evening at a beach in South Pattaya.

He apparently did not know that Woranun was a transgender.

At 9pm, Woranun contacted Fu.

They agreed to meet at his apartment, which he had been renting for one week.

He paid her 8,000 baht (S$314.66) for the purpose of having sex with her.

Thai Examiner reported that Fu likely understood that his paid meet-up with the victim had included sex.

Backed out of hook up

Woranun apparently backed out of having sex with Fu as she had cold feet or it was because she had no intention to do so in the first place.

Fu then demanded a 50 per cent refund, but the victim apparently refused.

An argument purportedly ensued between 1am and 2:30am.

Fu said she scratched him in the face and kicked him off the bed.

He got back on the bed and sat on her.

He then strangled her until she went limp.

Mutilated body

Fu then dragged the victim's body to the room with the toilet.

He reportedly used a pair of scissors to cut open the victim's body.

He told investigators he wanted to play with her body.

Fu claimed he bought scissors for protection when he went out at night.

He cut the body from neck to the genital area, and cut open her breasts and pulled out her silicone implants.

He also removed her heart.

The lower half of her body was purportedly mutilated.

He then washed the body and cleaned the blood in the room.

He then left the body in the bathroom and went to sleep.

A few hours later, Fu booked a flight ticket to China.

He took a motorcycle taxi and a bus to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.

The police arrested him at the airport on Apr. 26.

Police were called to the scene at 10am on Saturday.

This was after residents noticed a smell and used a spare key to open the apartment's door.

Could be premeditated

Thai Examiner also reported that the the police suspected that there is evidence suggesting Fu had planned to kill and dismember the victim in the first place.

Fu was apparently caught on surveillance footage shopping in an area about 200m from his apartment.

He visited a nearby discount store for about 12 minutes buying scissors, tape, black plastic bags, clear plastic bags, and plastic cable ties.

Could not control himself

Fu's face was covered in visible scratch marks when he was arrested.

He told police he became angry after he was assaulted by Woranun and could not control himself.

He said he did not know if he was suffering from any mental health issues and apologised for his actions.

One of the victim's lungs was missing, but Fu said he did not touch it.

Pattaya police said Fu confessed to the crime due to overwhelming evidence, Bangkok Post reported.

Top photos via Oriental Daily