A PAIR of limited-edition sports sneakers worn by murder suspect Mitchell Ong matches footprints found at the scene in Spain where Singaporean architect Audrey Fang (pic) was found dead on April 10.
Spanish media outlet La Verdad de Murcia reported on April 23 that the Civil Guard has collected soil embedded in the sneakers to compare it to sandstone at the crime scene.
The 39-year-old was found with 30 stab wounds near a parking area for lorries in the town of Abanilla, while she was on a solo trip.
La Verdad de Murcia reported that the sneakers, which were seized from Ong’s room in the hotel he was staying in, about 70km away from where Fang’s body was found, stood out for their large size (European size 48.5) and hefty price tag of €935 (RM4,768), based on luxury brand platform farfetch.com.
A Spanish court judge on April 19 ruled to hold the 43-year-old Singaporean in remand, saying in court documents that he is a flight risk as he has no roots in Spain.
She added that he has the financial means to leave the country, pointing to the €3,760 (RM19,175) and US$1,000 (RM4,776) that were seized in his hotel room on the day of his arrest on April 16.
The judge noted, citing data collected from mobile phone operators, that there was “no doubt” the two Singaporeans were in the same area on the day of the crime.
Fang’s phone was also found to be in Ong’s possession, La Verdad de Murcia reported on April 20.
A black car which purportedly picked up Fang, who was last seen alive at her hotel in Xabia on April 9 at 8.45pm local time, provided more clues, Spanish police revealed earlier.
After establishing the registration details, they traced the car’s route and found that it had travelled from near a hotel in Alicante, then to Xabia, before heading to the town of Abanilla.
Ong refused to testify in court on April 19.
La Verdad de Murcia reported that while Ong and Fang knew each other previously, their relationship remains unclear. It said Fang was involved in investments and recently transferred money to an unidentified third party.
Fang’s body will likely be repatriated to Singapore from Spain some time this week after a death certificate and embalming certificate have been issued, her family members told CNA on April 22.
Fang left Singapore for Spain on April 4 and had been due to return on April 12. She became not contactable on April 10.
A preliminary autopsy report found that knife wounds and head trauma were the cause of her death, said Spanish media reports. — The Straits Times/ANN
