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Murder of Lai Ying Xin

SOLVED2008Kulai, Johor, Malaysia3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On the night of 11 September 2008, 16-year-old Lai Ying Xin, a schoolgirl and part-time salesgirl, disappeared after leaving a shopping mall in Kulai, Johor, Malaysia. The next day, her family received a ransom call from an unknown caller demanding RM60,000 for her release. Police were contacted, and the family gathered RM33,000, which was handed over to the kidnappers. On 15 September 2008, police arrested seven male youths; three were released after questioning, while four remained in custody. The suspects, who all admitted involvement, led police to a forest near Taman Puteri Kulai, where Lai's burnt body was discovered. An autopsy determined she had been strangled to death before her body was burned, likely to destroy evidence. All four suspects were known to Lai, having attended or currently attending the same school as her.

On 25 September 2008, four youths — 22-year-old Teh Kim Hong, 17-year-old Leong Soon Long, and 16-year-olds Wong Soon Heng and Wong Kah Wai — were charged with kidnapping and murder. The case went to trial at the Johor High Court in 2010. At the close of the prosecution's case, Justice Mohd Zawawi Salleh acquitted Wong Kah Wai on 25 November 2010 without calling for his defence, citing insufficient evidence, while ordering the remaining three to enter their defence. On 21 February 2011, the judge found Teh, Leong, and Wong Soon Heng guilty on both counts. On 31 March 2011, Teh — the only adult among the trio — was sentenced to a mandatory death penalty for both murder and kidnapping, while Leong and Wong Soon Heng, both underage at the time of the crime, were sentenced to indefinite detention at the Sultan of Johor's pleasure.

Teh's appeals were dismissed by the Court of Appeal in 2013 and the Federal Court in 2015, finalizing his death sentences. His execution was later suspended under a nationwide moratorium beginning in 2018. Following Malaysia's 2023 abolition of the mandatory death penalty, which allowed convicts to seek re-sentencing, Teh applied for a reduced sentence. On 16 May 2024, the Federal Court commuted his two death sentences to concurrent 40-year prison terms plus 17 strokes of the cane, despite objections from prosecutors and Lai's family, who sought to retain the death penalty. Teh's sentence was backdated to his 2008 arrest, with potential release around 2048.

The commutation drew public criticism and anger from Lai's family, who feared possible retaliation upon Teh's eventual release and expressed disappointment at the lack of remorse shown by the perpetrators. In March 2025, Leong Soon Long and Wong Soon Heng, along with other former child offenders, filed a judicial review application challenging the constitutionality of indefinite detention under the Child Act 2001. On 20 April 2026, the Federal Court unanimously rejected their application, citing existing review mechanisms for such sentences. As of the most recent reporting, the whereabouts and status of the fourth accused, Wong Kah Wai, who was acquitted at trial, remain unknown, while Leong's and Wong Soon Heng's pardon applications remain pending.

Key facts

Victims
Lai Ying Xin
Date
2008
Location
Kulai, Johor, Malaysia
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1992-04-16

    Lai Ying Xin is born.

  2. 2008-09-11

    Lai Ying Xin is last seen leaving a shopping mall in Kulai, Johor, where she worked part-time; she is kidnapped and killed.

  3. 2008-09-12

    Lai's family receives a ransom call demanding RM60,000; they pay RM33,000 to the kidnappers.

  4. 2008-09-15

    Police arrest seven male youths; three are released, four remain in custody. Suspects lead police to Lai's burnt body near Taman Puteri Kulai.

  5. 2008-09-25

    Four youths — Teh Kim Hong, Leong Soon Long, Wong Soon Heng, and Wong Kah Wai — are officially charged with kidnapping and murder.

  6. 2010-11-25

    Wong Kah Wai is acquitted of all charges without his defence being called; the other three are ordered to enter their defence.

  7. 2011-02-21

    Justice Mohd Zawawi Salleh finds Teh Kim Hong, Leong Soon Long, and Wong Soon Heng guilty of murder and kidnapping.

  8. 2011-03-31

    Teh Kim Hong is sentenced to death on two counts; Leong Soon Long and Wong Soon Heng are sentenced to indefinite detention at the Sultan of Johor's pleasure.

  9. 2013-05-08

    The Court of Appeal dismisses Teh's appeal.

  10. 2015-10-19

    The Federal Court dismisses Teh's appeal, finalizing his death sentence.

  11. 2018

    Teh's execution is suspended under a nationwide moratorium on the death penalty.

  12. 2023-04

    The Malaysian government agrees to abolish the mandatory death penalty for murder and other offences.

  13. 2023-07

    Revised sentencing laws take effect, allowing death row inmates to apply for re-sentencing.

  14. 2024-05-16

    The Federal Court hears Teh's re-sentencing motion and commutes his two death sentences to concurrent 40-year prison terms plus 17 strokes of the cane.

  15. 2025-03

    Leong Soon Long and Wong Soon Heng, with other former child offenders, file a judicial review application at the Federal Court challenging indefinite detention under the Child Act 2001.

  16. 2026-04-20

    The Federal Court unanimously rejects the judicial review application, citing existing review mechanisms for indefinite detention.

Best coverage

No approved coverage links are attached yet.

People

  • Leong Soon Long

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of kidnapping and murder; underage at time of offence, sentenced to indefinite detention at the Sultan of Johor's pleasure; pardon application pending as of 2026.

  • Teh Kim Hong

    CONVICTED

    Convicted as mastermind of kidnapping and murder; originally sentenced to death, commuted to 40 years' imprisonment and 17 strokes of the cane in May 2024.

  • Lai Ying Xin

    VICTIM

    16-year-old schoolgirl and part-time salesgirl kidnapped and murdered in Kulai, Johor in September 2008.

  • Mohd Zawawi Salleh

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    High Court judge who presided over the 2010–2011 trial and delivered the guilty verdicts and sentences.

  • Wong Soon Heng

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of kidnapping and murder; underage at time of offence, sentenced to indefinite detention at the Sultan of Johor's pleasure; pardon application pending as of 2026.

  • Wong Kah Wai

    ACQUITTED

    Charged with kidnapping and murder; acquitted on 25 November 2010 without his defence being called due to insufficient evidence.

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

Places

Kulai, Johor, Malaysia

1.6636, 103.5985

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
In September 2008, 16-year-old Malaysian schoolgirl Lai Ying Xin was kidnapped by four youths in Kulai, Johor, who demanded ransom from her family even after she had already been strangled to death and her body burned. The case's mastermind was convicted and sentenced to death, later commuted to 40 years in prison in 2024; two underage accomplices remain in indefinite detention.
Where did the murder happen?
Kulai, Johor, Malaysia.
Who was convicted?
Leong Soon Long (Convicted of kidnapping and murder; underage at time of offence, sentenced to indefinite detention at the Sultan of Johor's pleasure; pardon application pending as of 2026.), Teh Kim Hong (Convicted as mastermind of kidnapping and murder; originally sentenced to death, commuted to 40 years' imprisonment and 17 strokes of the cane in May 2024.), and Wong Soon Heng (Convicted of kidnapping and murder; underage at time of offence, sentenced to indefinite detention at the Sultan of Johor's pleasure; pardon application pending as of 2026.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Malaysia

Sources

  1. PRESSContemporaneous coverage of the Kulai kidnapping-murder caseguangming.com.my · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSRetrospective coverage of the 2008 Kulai school beauty kidnapping casechinapress.com.my · 2026-07-07
  3. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Lai Ying XinWikipedia · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026