Explainer | A young Hong Kong couple were murdered in 1970, their suspected killer was never convicted

“A young couple was found murdered on a hill above a filling station in Pokfulam Road last night,” reported the South China Morning Post on May 18, 1970.

Identified the next day as Luk Kwan-sau and Francesca Leung Yee-ching, both 22, the police were alerted by an anonymous caller to the Ming Pao newspaper. On the night of May 16, the caller had been walking with his girlfriend on Pokfield Road when “he saw two youths holding on to a young man while a third held a young woman”.

“They were forcing the couple up a flight of steps leading to the hill above the police station,” he said, adding that he left the scene because his girlfriend felt afraid. They returned the next day and discovered the bodies.

According to a May 20 article, Leung’s body showed signs of sexual assault and her “underclothes were used to gag the two victims”. “Police said that both Mr Luk and Miss Leung had died of strangulation and had their hands tied behind their backs.”

On June 15, after “a month’s intensive investigations”, Chan Yiu, also known as Chan Yiu-wah, 35, was arrested and charged with the double murder. He appeared before Western Court two days later, where he remained “expressionless” as the charges were read out, including sexual assault and assault causing bodily harm to a further two victims.

The case was adjourned for several weeks so that Chan, who had spent time in a psychiatric facility, could be medically examined. On July 18, the Post reported he had been “transferred to a mental hospital” and the magistrate “would not pursue any proceedings at the present time”.