XIZHI — 1991 · Murder

The Hsichih Trio Case

ClosedSources: ALast updated: 14 October 2026

On 24 March 1991 a married couple were killed in their home in Xizhi, near Taipei. A neighbour, a Marine, was arrested on fingerprint evidence and admitted the crime; he was tried by a military court and executed in January 1992. But police also detained three young men he named during interrogation. The three were sentenced to death on confessions they said were extracted through torture. The case became the subject of a long campaign by Amnesty International and Taiwanese human rights groups. After retrials the defendants were acquitted in 2003, the process dragged on for years, and they were finally acquitted on 31 August 2012. The case became a symbol of wrongful convictions in Taiwan.

Date
1991
Place
New Taipei, Taiwan, Xizhi, TW
Category
Murder
Case Status
Closed
Coordinates
25.0700, 121.6600 ↗

Timeline of Events

  1. 24 March 1991A couple were killed in their home in Xizhi.
  2. January 1992The neighbour caught through fingerprints was executed.
  3. 1991–1995Three young men were sentenced to death on forced confessions.
  1. 2003A retrial produced the first acquittal.
  2. 31 August 2012The three were finally acquitted.

Sources

Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.

Related Cases

More cases from the 1990s

See all ›

Categories

🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.