Unable to move on after their affair ended early this year, a married man killed his former girlfriend in her flat before jumping to his death from the 10th-storey unit, a court heard yesterday.
Safety supervisor Chng Hong Nam, 49, was found dead at the foot of the block of flats at around 11pm on May 29. When police officers went to Ms Serinn Tan Bee Leng's home at Block 520A, Tampines Central 8, they saw the sales telemarketer lying motionless on a blood-soaked bed.
In an inquiry into their deaths, Senior Investigation Officer (SIO) Vicneswaran Ramakrishnan told the court that Ms Tan, 46, died from a stab wound in her chest and two in her abdomen.
She also had cuts on her forearms, believed to be defensive wounds when Mr Chng attacked her with a "knife-like weapon". The weapon used to kill her has not been recovered.
The father of three met Ms Tan about four years ago when he was a property agent. They got involved and tried to keep it discreet, but Mr Chng's wife later found out.
She asked her husband to stop seeing Ms Tan and even went to the divorcee's flat to confront her. When confronted, Ms Tan denied she was in a relationship with Mr Chng.
Yesterday, SIO Vicneswaran told State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam that the affair ended early this year, and Ms Tan got into a relationship with another married man, who was her supervisor at work.
Despite this, Mr Chng still contacted Ms Tan as he wanted to meet her, but she always made excuses to avoid him.
The pair agreed to meet at her Tampines home on May 29 and Mr Chng later jumped to his death after stabbing her.
Residents alerted the police, and officers who found Ms Tan's NRIC in Mr Chng's possession went up to her flat. They found her lying face up on a bed, with stab wounds, as well as bruises around her wrists and ankles.
SIO Vicneswaran said Mr Chng could have restrained the woman with cable ties as they were found at the foot of the block.
Neighbours the police officers spoke to said they did not hear any suspicious sounds coming from the unit that evening.
SIO Vicneswaran said this was because Mr Chng, who was bigger in build than Ms Tan, could have gagged her before stabbing her. He added that Mr Chng sent a message to his wife via his mobile phone and then jumped off the 10th-storey balcony.
In the message, read out in court yesterday, Mr Chng apologised to his family members and stated that he was "not a good father".
Ms Tan's sister and parents were in court but they declined to comment when approached by The Straits Times. The coroner will give her findings on Jan 19 next year.
