Singaporean Audrey Fang, who was killed in Spain in April, had been romantically interested in her suspected killer Mitchell Ong, whom she met on a social dating network, her two friends told the Spanish court.
Speaking through a translator on Wednesday via a video call from Singapore, the friends testified that the pair had known each other at least since 2014. They described the relationship as “on and off”, Spanish media outlet La Verdad reported yesterday.
The friends, who were not identified, added that Ong appeared to be only keen to sell financial assets to Fang.
The 43-year-old Singaporean had sold her two investment-linked policies in 2015, when he was working as an insurance agent.
He also previously claimed to be a financial expert on his now defunct website, with clients that included chief executives and celebrities.
Ong has been in custody since April 16 after Fang was found with 30 stab wounds and other injuries near a parking area for lorries in the town of Abanilla on April 10.
It is about 150km from the hotel the Singaporean was staying in. Ong, who was staying in a separate hotel, was arrested in his room where a number of items belonging to the victim, including her mobile phone, were found.
Manuel Martinez, the Spanish lawyer representing Fang’s family, said the witnesses were close friends of the victim.
He told the media that Fang had revealed to her friends that she was in a relationship with Ong. She also told them she was planning to meet him in Spain during her holiday.
According to the lawyer, Fang’s friends said she wanted to introduce Ong to her family members, but he refused to meet them.
Spain’s Civil Guard, one of two national police forces, is investigating a possible “economic” motive behind the killing.
Ong was nominated as the sole beneficiary for her Central Provident Fund (CPF), which reportedly had S$498,000.
It was earlier reported that six months before she was killed, Fang deposited into her CPF accounts nearly S$200,000, which was from her investment-linked products. — The Straits Times/ANN Fatal attraction: Ong (left) and Fang had met on a social dating network, according to Fang’s friends. — The Straits Times/ANN
