PETALING JAYA: Spanish prosecutors have called for a murder charge against Mitchell Ong, a Singaporean man suspected of killing 39-year-old Audrey Fang in Spain.
Her body was discovered on April 10, 2024, bearing 30 stab wounds near a truck parking area in Abanilla.
Authorities arrested Ong six days later after surveillance footage showed him picking up Fang from her hotel in a car believed to be his.
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According to Channel News Asia, during a court hearing on Thursday (February 20), lawyers from the Spanish public prosecutor’s office and private prosecution pushed for Ong to be tried for murder.
The private prosecution emphasized there was “sufficient evidence of criminality” to justify bringing the case to trial.
Meanwhile, Ong’s defense team has requested the case be dismissed, calling for new proceedings, including an independent expert analysis of Ong’s phone and his personal testimony.
The accused has remained silent since his arrest and is currently in custody due to the gravity of the allegations.
CCTV footage captured Ong leaving his hotel at around 5.45pm on April 9, dressed in a hoodie and black pants.
Prosecutors allege he drove the victim to a parking lot in Abanilla at approximately 11pm before leaving at 11.45pm—without her in the car.
He was later seen returning to his hotel at 2am on April 10, wearing jeans and a blue sweater.
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Manuel Martinez, the lawyer representing the victim’s family, stated that Ong’s alleged crime was committed “with premeditation and cruelty.”
He cited findings from the Civil Guard and the judicial investigation as substantial evidence against Ong.
He also noted several aggravating factors, including Audrey’s unexpected trip to Spain. He pointed out that her family was unaware of the reason for her visit and suggested she had traveled at Ong’s request.
Evidence indicates the two stayed at a hotel and dined together multiple times.
Additionally, the lawyer argued that Ong had a financial motive, as Fang had listed him as her CPF beneficiary.
He also claimed there was evidence of an emotional relationship between the two, though they were not an “official couple.”
Meanwhile, the defense maintained that further tests were necessary for the case and highlighted Ong’s loss of contact with his family.
It was reported earlier by Spanish news outlet La Verdad that on May 16, a court in Cieza was informed by the CPF Board that Audrey had designated the Ong as her CPF beneficiary.
Around the time of the nomination, close to S$200,000 (about RM697,766) was deposited into her CPF account.
The CPF Board confirmed that the victim’s savings, totaling more than €430,000 (about RM2.16 million), will not be disbursed until the conclusion of the court proceedings in Spain.
