China Police Arrest Man Who Faked Death and Stole Twin Brother's Identity
Chinese police arrested a fugitive who evaded justice for 19 years after a 2002 robbery by stealing the identity of his twin brother, who died in a car crash.
Chinese police have arrested a man who managed to evade justice for 19 years following a 2002 robbery by assuming the identity of his deceased twin brother. The elaborate ruse was finally uncovered during a routine cold case review, leading investigators to track down old archives and interview the suspect's former girlfriend.
The 2002 Robbery and Fake Death
The case dates back to 2002 in the city of Yuhuan, where seven suspects kidnapped a victim and stole valuables. While six accomplices were swiftly arrested, the seventh suspect, surnamed Chen, managed to flee. Years later, in 2007, local police received a notice from Anhui province stating that Chen's household registration had been canceled because he had died in a car accident. Consequently, the case was officially closed.
The Investigation and Family Conspiracy
A turning point occurred 19 years later during a routine cold case review when investigators noticed discrepancies. A criminal investigator cross-referenced old records and realized that the living brother had assumed the identity of his deceased twin. When a special task force was sent to Anhui, the suspect's mother, sister, and neighbors closed ranks, falsely claiming that the younger brother was the one who had died in the accident.
The breakthrough came when officers examined archive ID photos and discovered that just nine days after Chen's reported death in 2007, the surviving brother applied for a name change with entirely altered facial features.
Arrest and Pending Trial
Refusing to be deterred by the family's silence, investigators tracked down Deng, the suspect's former fiancée. After police explained the legal implications of withholding information, she confirmed that the person who died in the traffic accident 19 years earlier was actually the older brother, not the fugitive. Chen was finally arrested in June, living quietly under a false identity, and now faces three to ten years in prison.
