The tragic case of Singaporean Audrey Fang, who was killed in Spain in April, has taken a dark turn.
Testimonies from her university friends reveal that she had an “on and off” relationship with her alleged killer, Mitchell Ong.
Spanish lawyer Manuel Martinez, representing Fang’s family, described the testifying friends as close to the victim. Despite the close relationship, the friends did not know Ong personally.
Here’s what we know so far about the case and the events leading up to her untimely death.
Meeting on Social Media
Audrey Fang and Mitchell Ong first crossed paths on a social dating network, according to two of Fang’s friends who testified via video call from Singapore. The pair had known each other since at least 2014.
Ong, who was previously an insurance agent with AIA, had sold two investment-linked policies to Fang in 2015. He also claimed to be a financial expert on his now-defunct website, boasting high-profile clients like chief executives and celebrities.
While Fang seemed to have romantic feelings for Ong, her friends suspected that Ong’s interest with her was “purely economical” and only wanted to “do business with her”.
This suspicion was reinforced when Fang’s friends revealed that Ong refused to meet Fang’s family, even though she wanted to introduce him to them.
Fang’s friends further confirmed that she was planning to meet Ong in Spain during her holiday.
Fang was travelling solo in Spain when she was found with 30 stab wounds near a lorry parking area in the town of Abanilla, about 150KM from her hotel.
Ong was subsequently arrested in his hotel room, where police found Fang’s mobile phone in his possession, €3,769 (S$5,473) and US$1,000 (S$1,351). Ong has been in custody since 16 April, and he has opted to stay silent during investigations.
The Spanish Civil Guard is investigating a possible economic motive behind the killing.
Ong was the sole beneficiary of Fang’s Central Provident Fund (CPF), which reportedly had around $498,000.
Six months before her death, Fang deposited nearly $200,000 from her investment-linked products into her CPF accounts.
The CPF nomination note found on Fang’s iPad allegedly said that she trusted Ong deeply, referring to him as a long-time friend and confidant. The note also mentioned a “friendly loan” of $50,000, based on “friendships in the past”.
As of the evening of 27 June, Ong is still invoking his right to not testify in court.
If he is convicted of murder after the trial, Martinez plans to seek a jail term of between 20 to 25 years, possibly extending to reviewable life imprisonment.