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A high-profile murder case involving an elite university graduate who killed his wife to claim insurance money has shocked China, with netizens expressing both outrage and disbelief. The incident, which took place aboard a ferry traveling from Dalian to Yantai in May 2021, was recently revisited in a report by CCTV’s "Sky Net" program.
On May 5, 2021, Li, a 44-year-old graduate from a prestigious “211” Chinese university, boarded the ferry with his 46-year-old wife, identified as Li Huan. The couple, who had married just months earlier, were traveling from Shanghai to their hometown in Liaoning Province. According to eyewitnesses, Li Huan was joyful and excited, snapping photos of the sea and planning for the future.
Unbeknownst to her, her husband was scheming to end her life. Surveillance footage revealed Li secretly shaking the deck railing in a secluded area of the ship before luring his wife to the same spot. He convinced her to step outside the railing, ostensibly for a better view. Moments later, Li Huan plunged into the sea.
Li's cries for help reverberated across the ship as he appeared devastated. Despite a 45-minute search, Li Huan was found lifeless. Li collapsed theatrically upon seeing her body, requiring police assistance to stand.
While Li's outward grief initially seemed genuine, inconsistencies soon raised suspicion. Police noticed that Li had deliberately chosen a blind spot on the ship's deck, obscured by lifeboats and out of range of most surveillance cameras. Furthermore, the movements captured in the limited footage were inconsistent with an accidental fall.
Investigators also discovered discrepancies in the couple's relationship. Li, who owned a restaurant in Shanghai, was heavily in debt, while Li Huan was a divorced waitress with two children. Their union had reportedly shocked acquaintances, and their behavior after marriage appeared distant. Li Huan’s relatives were not even informed of the marriage.
Adding to the suspicions, Li rushed police to issue a death certificate, citing a family tradition requiring cremation within three days. This urgency, coupled with Li’s demeanor, prompted authorities to conduct an autopsy.
The autopsy revealed signs of physical trauma on Li Huan’s body, including evidence of being punched and smothered. This confirmed she had been pushed into the sea, rather than falling accidentally.
As the investigation deepened, police uncovered more disturbing details. Li had a 19-year-old mistress and, shockingly, solicited sex workers shortly after his wife’s death. It also emerged that Li had taken out multiple life insurance policies on his wife, totaling over 12 million yuan (approximately $1.6 million). The policies stipulated the payout would be maximized if Li Huan died in a transportation-related accident.
The case has sparked widespread outrage on Chinese social media. “He’s not just a murderer; he’s the epitome of selfishness and greed,” one netizen commented. Another wrote, “What kind of person can plot such a heinous act against someone who trusted them?”
Others lamented the betrayal of trust in relationships, with one user saying, “She married him thinking it was love, but he saw her as a payday.” Many also condemned his exploitation of a vulnerable woman, given her divorced status and financial struggles.
In July 2022, the Dalian Intermediate People’s Court convicted Li of intentional homicide and insurance fraud, sentencing him to death. His appeal was rejected by the Liaoning High Court in December 2023, upholding the original sentence.
