Murder hits home

For the last few years I kind of stopped watching local news, except for the rare occasion someone mentions an event that piques my interest. Today was one of those days, Mai a close friend of mine called me from NY and right away asked if I heard what happened to Jian. I answered "NO" , and he said he will send me a link to the story.

This is the link he texted me:

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/08/man_accused_of_decapitating_fa.html

I was completely shocked; you hear about crime, you watch it everyday on TV, but it's never the same when you are acquainted with the people involved. Qihong is killed in a gruesome way and Jian is charged with her murder. These are not just names on TV, these are people I know, people I sat to the dinner table with.

Jiansen Liang, 33, a hard working Chinese immigrant, now indicted on charges of aggravated murder and held on a ten million dollar bond. He is facing the death penalty or life in prison.

Qihong Chen, 33, Jiangs girlfriend now a murder victim. She lost her life in the worst of ways.

" Two lives lost " , these are not the words I would usually use to describe a gruesome murder, but when you know the people involved it's not so easy to choose any other words. What I know about their story does not make it any easier, or understandable.

Since this case is still going through the court system, what I tell you next is just hearsay:

Ever since Jian came from China he worked hard to save money and improve his life, he was working at a Chinese restaurant in Cleveland's Chinatown. Jian saved about $200,000 before meeting Qih. When they met he fell in love and wanted to marry her. For two years he did not spare anything to make her happy, she got whatever she asked for. His spending was way over his income and his life savings dwindled down to nothing. When he no longer could afford to shower her with gifts she rejected him. She met another man and was planning a move to another state. What happened next is what you read in the newspapers articles. Is it a crime of passion? the courts will decide.

The story reads like fiction, Jian walking into a police station with blood all over him and confessing to the most gruesome murder of his girlfriend. Jian plead not guilty in court to the charge of aggravated murder. In his court appearance he seemed spaced out as if he was no longer in this world. It's so sad to see young lives wasted in this fashion.