TAIPEI — 1980 · Unsolved Case

The Lin Family Massacre — A House Under Police Watch

UnsolvedSources: ALast updated: 14 October 2026

On 28 February 1980, an attack took place at the Taipei home of opposition politician Lin Yi-hsiung, who was in detention over the Kaohsiung Incident. Lin's 60-year-old mother and his six-year-old twin daughters were killed; his nine-year-old eldest daughter survived with severe injuries. Lin's wife was away visiting her detained husband at the time. Although the house was known to be under 24-hour police surveillance, the attacker was never identified. The date, the anniversary of the 28 February Incident of 1947, led many to see the attack as a political message. Despite repeated reviews over the years, no suspect has ever been tried, and the case remains one of the darkest mysteries of Taiwan's transition to democracy.

Date: 1980
Place: Near Xinyi Road, Da'an, Taipei, TW
Category: Unsolved Case
Case Status: Unsolved
Coordinates: 25.0330, 121.5400 ↗

Timeline of Events

December 1979Lin Yi-hsiung was arrested after the Kaohsiung Incident.
28 February 1980Lin's mother and twin daughters were killed at home; his eldest daughter was badly injured.
1980The investigation went nowhere despite the house being under surveillance.
2000sThe case resurfaced but no perpetrator was identified.
TodayThe case officially remains unsolved.

Sources

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