Video: Man on the run for 30 years for murder gives emotional goodbye to wife during arrest
By Bryan Ke
July 11, 2023
A man who was on the run from authorities for 30 years for murder was filmed last week exchanging an emotional goodbye with his wife before being escorted onto a train by authorities.
On the run: Zhou was arrested in Guangzhou, China, where he had been hiding, after authorities reportedly learned his whereabouts on June 28.
He and three other accomplices were accused of murdering another man in Hubei province in 1993. Although his accomplices were immediately arrested after the crime, Zhou had reportedly been on the run ever since.
Asking her to remarry: During his arrest, Zhou can be seen having an emotional farewell with his wife on Wednesday, telling her to divorce him and remarry so she can enjoy the rest of her life, according to the South China Morning Post.
Zhou even asks his sister-in-law to persuade his wife to sign the divorce paper, telling her, “The divorce agreement is over there. Get your sister to sign it. You must persuade her to remarry and not to wait for me. I will not be leaving jail.”
Refusing his request: Replying in tears, Zhou’s wife can be heard telling him, “I am wondering if you don’t want me,” repeatedly adding, “I don’t agree. I don’t agree.”
When Zhou tries to tell her again not to wait for him, she covers his mouth, shaking her head and disagreeing with his demand, as seen in the now-viral video that has been viewed over 1.73 million times on Weibo.
Filled with remorse: Speaking to local media, Zhou said he felt remorseful for his past actions, adding that he never had a chance to see his parents while he was a fugitive.
“I did the wrong thing when I was young. I shouldn’t have beaten and killed that guy,” he said.
No mercy: While some Weibo users reportedly sympathized with the couple, others were more critical of the man for his crime, with one user writing, “No need to sympathize with him. The person killed by him had no chance of having a happy family.”
Punishment for murder: Anyone charged with committing intentional murder in China could face a fixed-term imprisonment of no less than 10 years, a life sentence or the death penalty. If the convicted person is a minor, they will instead receive a fixed-term imprisonment of no less than three years and no more than 10.
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