SINGAPORE – Singaporean Audrey Fang, who was killed in Spain in April, had been romantically interested in her suspected killer Mitchell Ong whom she met on a social dating network, her two friends told the Spanish court.
Speaking through a translator on June 26 via a video call from Singapore, the friends testified that the pair had known each other at least since 2014. They described the relationship as “on-and-off”, Spanish media outlet La Verdad reported on June 27.
The friends, who were not identified, added that Ong only appeared to be keen to sell her financial assets.
The 43-year-old Singaporean had sold her two investment-linked policies in 2015 when he was working as an insurance agent with AIA.
He also previously claimed to be a financial expert on his now defunct website, with clients that included chief executives and celebrities.
Ong has been in custody since April 16 after Ms Fang was found with 30 stab wounds and other injuries near a parking area for lorries in the town of Abanilla on April 10.
It is about 150km from the hotel the Singaporean was staying in. Ong, who was staying in a separate hotel, was arrested in his room where a number of items belonging to the victim including her mobile phone were found.
Mr Manuel Martinez, the Spanish lawyer representing Ms Fang’s family, said the witnesses are close friends of the victim.
He told the media that Ms Fang had revealed to her friends that she was in a relationship with Ong. She also told them she was planning to meet him in Spain during her holiday.
The witnesses said they did not know Ong personally.
According to the lawyer, Ms Fang’s friends said she wanted to introduce Ong to her family, but he refused to meet them.
The Civil Guard, one of two national police forces, is investigating a possible “economic” motive behind the killing.
Ong was nominated as the sole beneficiary for her Central Provident Fund (CPF), which reportedly had $498,000.
The Straits Times had earlier reported that six months before she was killed, Ms Fang deposited into her CPF accounts nearly $200,000 which was from her investment-linked products.
News of the nomination was revealed earlier in June when a court in Spain heard that the suspect, who has opted to stay silent during investigations, stood to benefit from her CPF savings.
Mr Martinez had told ST earlier that Ong invoked his right not to testify in court.
He said that if Ong is convicted of murder after trial, he will seek a jail term of between 20 and 25 years for the suspect, and possibly reviewable life imprisonment.