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Murder of Hans Herzog

SOLVED2000USJ, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On 12 November 2003, 59-year-old Hans Herzog, a German-born Australian businessman who had moved to Malaysia in 1993, was found dead at his home in Taman Subang Mewah, USJ, Subang Jaya, near Kuala Lumpur. He had suffered 23 slash wounds, presumed inflicted with a parang, and died from injuries to his neck and head. Herzog had married Low Yoke Yoke in 2000 and became stepfather to her two daughters. On the night of the killing, his wife heard noises, saw a suspicious person in her younger daughter's bedroom, and alerted Herzog, who went to investigate before being fatally attacked. A bloodstained parang was recovered at the scene.

Seventeen hours after the murder, a 17-year-old secondary school student surrendered to police and confessed that he and an 18-year-old friend had attacked Herzog with parangs after receiving money allegedly stolen from Herzog by his two stepdaughters. This led to the arrest of the stepdaughters, and the second teenage boy was arrested on 16 November 2003. On 22 November 2003, all four teenagers — the two stepdaughters, Low Kian Boon (18), and Tan Pei Yan (17) — were charged with Herzog's murder.

At trial before the Shah Alam High Court, presided over by Justice Datuk K. N. Segara, the prosecution argued the stepdaughters had recruited the boys to kill Herzog over alleged domestic abuse and control, with Low acting as ringleader. On 6 February 2006, the trial judge acquitted the stepdaughters at the close of the prosecution's case, finding insufficient evidence to link them to the killing. Low and Tan were ordered to enter a defence; both claimed a third person, referred to as "Ivan," had orchestrated the attack, but the judge rejected this account. On 8 April 2006, the judge convicted both of manslaughter rather than murder, citing doubt over intent, and on 25 April 2006 sentenced each to ten years' imprisonment.

The prosecution appealed. On 7 April 2009, the Court of Appeal found that the killing was premeditated murder and set aside the manslaughter convictions. Because Tan was 17 at the time of the offence, he was sentenced to indefinite detention under the Child Act 2001; Low, who was 18, was sentenced to death. The Federal Court dismissed further appeals on 17 March 2010.

Tan was released in September 2020 after receiving a royal pardon from the Sultan of Selangor, having served 11 years. Low remained on death row for approximately 15 years. Following Malaysia's 2023 abolition of the mandatory death penalty, Low's case was reconsidered, and on 28 March 2024 the Federal Court commuted his death sentence to 35 years' imprisonment plus 12 strokes of the cane, backdated to his 2003 arrest.

Key facts

Victims
Hans Herzog
Date
2000
Location
USJ, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1993

    Hans Herzog moved from Victoria, Australia, to Malaysia.

  2. 2000

    Herzog married Low Yoke Yoke, becoming stepfather to her two daughters.

  3. 2003-11-12

    Hans Herzog found dead with multiple slash and stab wounds at his home in USJ, Subang Jaya.

  4. 2003-11-16

    An 18-year-old suspect (later identified as Low Kian Boon) was arrested.

  5. 2003-11-22

    Herzog's two stepdaughters and the two teenage boys, Low Kian Boon and Tan Pei Yan, were officially charged with murder.

  6. 2004-08-19

    Trial of the four accused began at the Shah Alam High Court.

  7. 2006-02-06

    Herzog's stepdaughters were acquitted at the close of the prosecution's case.

  8. 2006-04-08

    Justice Segara convicted Low Kian Boon and Tan Pei Yan of manslaughter rather than murder.

  9. 2006-04-25

    Low and Tan were each sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for manslaughter.

  10. 2009-04-07

    Court of Appeal overturned the manslaughter convictions, finding the boys guilty of murder; Low sentenced to death, Tan to indefinite detention.

  11. 2010-03-17

    Federal Court of Malaysia dismissed the boys' appeals, finalising Low's death sentence and Tan's detention order.

  12. 2020-09

    Tan Pei Yan was released after receiving a royal pardon from the Sultan of Selangor.

  13. 2024-03-28

    Federal Court commuted Low Kian Boon's death sentence to 35 years' imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane.

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People

  • Hans Herzog

    VICTIM

    German-born Australian businessman killed at his home in Subang Jaya, Malaysia, on 12 November 2003.

  • Ku Sue Kin

    ACQUITTED

    Herzog's elder stepdaughter, charged with murder but acquitted in 2006 after the judge found insufficient evidence linking her to the killing.

  • Tan Pei Yan

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of manslaughter in 2006, later convicted of murder on appeal in 2009 and sentenced to indefinite detention as a juvenile offender; released in September 2020 on a royal pardon.

  • Ku Sue Yin

    ACQUITTED

    Herzog's younger stepdaughter, charged with murder but acquitted in 2006 after the judge found insufficient evidence linking her to the killing.

  • Low Kian Boon

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of manslaughter in 2006, later convicted of murder on appeal in 2009 and sentenced to death; sentence commuted to 35 years' imprisonment and caning in 2024.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

USJ, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

3.0435, 101.5810

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
German-born Australian businessman Hans Herzog was fatally stabbed and slashed at his home in Subang Jaya, Malaysia, in November 2003. Two teenage boys were ultimately convicted of murder; his stepdaughters were acquitted of abetting the killing.
Where did the murder happen?
USJ, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Who was convicted?
Tan Pei Yan (Convicted of manslaughter in 2006, later convicted of murder on appeal in 2009 and sentenced to indefinite detention as a juvenile offender; released in September 2020 on a royal pardon.) and Low Kian Boon (Convicted of manslaughter in 2006, later convicted of murder on appeal in 2009 and sentenced to death; sentence commuted to 35 years' imprisonment and caning in 2024.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Malaysia

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Hans HerzogWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSMalaysian girls arrested over Australian's murderABC News (Australia) · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSFour charged with killing AussieThe Sydney Morning Herald · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026