Singaporean woman Audrey Fang, who went missing from her hotel in Javea, Spain, has been found dead in a lorry park in the Murcia region. The 39-year-old was discovered with over 30 stab wounds, and her body was not identified initially.
According to reports, a suspect, also a Singapore national, has been arrested in connection with the murder. The man was detained by the Guardia Civil in Alicante province and has been transferred to their colleagues in Murcia.
Ms Audrey Fang Dirou, 39, was found dead with 30 stab wounds on April 10, 2024, about 150km away from her hotel in Spain. She was on a solo trip and her personal belongings were found in her hotel room. She was due to start a new job in May and had traveled alone overseas before. She was formerly an architectural assistant at DP Architects Pte Ltd.
Audrey had mentioned to acquaintances that she was meeting someone during her visit to Spain, although she did not reveal the person’s identity. She was last seen leaving her hotel on April 9, and her family last spoke to her on the same day. She was scheduled to fly back to Singapore from Barcelona but did not make the journey.
Audrey’s family reported her missing when she did not arrive in Singapore on April 12 as scheduled. They filed a police report and contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for assistance.
THE TIMELINE :
- 4 April: Ms Fang leaves Singapore for Spain at around 11.45pm SGT.
- 5 April: Ms Fang checks into a hotel in Xàbia, Spain.
- 9 April: Last contact with Ms Fang’s family.
- CCTV footage captures Ms Fang leaving her hotel at 8.45pm CET.
- 10 April: Ms Fang was due to check out of her hotel, but her belongings were left in the room.
- A body is discovered in Albanilla, 150km from Ms Fang’s hotel.
- 11 April: Ms Fang’s family seeks help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- 12 April: Ms Fang was supposed to arrive in Singapore at 7am SGT, but does not.
- 16 April: Ms Fang’s brother reports her disappearance to the police in Singapore.
- Spanish police detain a suspect in Alicante.
- 17 April: The body found is identified as Ms Fang’s.
- Spanish police announce the arrest of a Singaporean suspect in the case.
- The suspect is expected to appear before a judge within the next two days.
LOCAL MEDIA REPORTS
Ms Fang’s body was found with multiple stab wounds near a lorry parking area in Abanilla on Apr 10, but local authorities only identified her on Wednesday (17 April).
According to reports from El Espanol, the body was discovered by the chief inspector of the local police division near the RM-422 highway in Abanilla while he was on his way to breakfast at a nearby restaurant. Abanilla is situated about 150km away from Xabia in the province of Murcia, whereas Xabia is located in the neighbouring province of Alicante.
A Singaporean man has been arrested by Spain’s Civil Guard in connection with Ms Fang’s death and is expected to appear in court later this week, as reported by El Espanol.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson stated that Singapore’s honorary consulate-general in Madrid has been in contact with local authorities regarding the case.
As investigations are ongoing, the MFA is unable to provide further comments. However, the MFA and the honorary consulate-general have been providing consular assistance and support to Ms Fang’s family, expressing their deepest condolences to them.
“MFA and the HCG have been providing consular assistance and support to Ms Fang’s family. We express our deepest condolences to the family” said the spokesperson according to CNA.
UPDATE : Singaporean man, suspected of being involved in the murder of fellow Singaporean Audrey Fang in Spain, appeared in a public court hearing in Murcia after his arrival. He was brought to court at 9:20am local time that is 3:20pm in Singapore on Friday, Apr. 19.
The deceased woman’s brother and two other relatives attended the hearing in Cieza accompanied by an interpreter.
The family’s lawyer, Manuel Martinez, is requesting for the Singaporean suspect to be incarcerated prior to the trial. The suspect has not been officially identified yet, and the details of the case remain confidential.
Only his age, 40 years old, has been disclosed. Following the hearing, the lawyer stated, “The family is understandably in shock. They received devastating news in a foreign country far from home. They require the utmost emotional support.”
La Opinion de Murcia reported on Friday that video footage showed Ms. Fang being driven away from her hotel by the suspect in a car. The Civil Guard, a Spanish national police force, determined the type of vehicle and confirmed sightings of it in Alicante, Javea, and Abanilla during their investigation.
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