The man who killed eight people in 15 hours, including a 2-year-old toddler and two people with learning difficulties, was sentenced to death yesterday in Hubei province.

Xiong Zhenlin, 35, killed his victims in the town of Luoyang, Suizhou, Hubei, on Jan 4 and was arrested a week later after the Ministry of Public Security released an A-degree wanted notice and offered a reward of 50,000 yuan ($7,300) for his capture.

Xiong did appeal the sentence.

His lawyer had asked the intermediate people's court of Suizhou to assess Xiong's mental health but the appeal was rejected. He also asked the court to take into account the fact Xiong was filled with remorse, the Legal Evening News reported.


Xiong Zhenlin in court in Suizhou, Hubei province,Monday. (Xinhua Photo)
Hu Liangzhi, Suizhou's vice-chief prosecutor, told the Xinhua News Agency on Sunday that based on an investigation, Xiong does not have a history of mental illness.

On the contrary, he was determined and cruel when committing the murders, and showed his cunningness in running away, he said.

According to the Chutian Metropolis Daily, Xiong had written three letters expressing his remorse, claiming he was not a bad person but had simply made a mistake after suffering setbacks in his career and personal life.

He asked for his mental state to be assessed as he had been suffering from insomnia during the second half of last year and said he deserved to live.

Xiong said he would donate his organs if sentenced to death, the report said.

His mother, 73-year-old Zhan Hongying, did not appear in court, as she "could not face the victim's family", Xinhua reported.

"Although I want to save his life, the law will not allow it and the victims' family will definitely not allow him to live on as he committed such a great sin " she was quoted as saying.

Xiong had wanted to marry 43-year-old Zhu Deqing after divorcing his former wife, but after she refused, he killed her and her grandson at their home in Luoyang.

Before that, he had killed six others - three men and three women, aged between 45 and 69 - who worked at his waste collection depot.

Two of the victims had learning difficulties, three had had conflicts with him in the past, and one was a local resident who had gone to sell waste products.

Police said Xiong used an ax, a brick and a harpoon to kill his victims.

Xiong told police on his capture in Wuhan, Hubei's capital, that he had planned to kill nine other people he had fought with in the past, including his ex-wife Liu Jihua.

Source: China Daily