All five children were found dead inside a bathroom that had been sealed from the inside. Their parents were gone. It would be nine years before anyone found them.
The Discovery
In 2006, the five children of Liu Chih-chin, 48, and his wife Lin Chen-mi, 35, were found dead in the bathroom of their home in Hualien, Taiwan. The children — ranging from 8 to 18 years old, from Liu's current and previous marriages — were found restrained, with the bathroom sealed from the inside using adhesive tape and improvised barriers over the door and windows. We are not detailing the specific circumstances of their deaths further, given their ages.
The Puzzle
Investigators were unable to determine how anyone could have left the sealed bathroom, since all windows and exits were secured from the inside with no other apparent way out. A postmortem examination found no evidence of drugging or poisoning, and forensic testing found DNA at the scene that did not match Liu, his wife, or any of the children, suggesting outside involvement. No fingerprints were recovered, indicating gloves may have been used.
The Parents Go Missing
Liu's car was found abandoned near a train station in Hualien County the day the bodies were discovered, and both parents were reported missing. Investigators noted Liu had accumulated significant business debt and that people who knew him described him as showing signs of psychological distress in the period before the deaths.
Remains Found Years Later
In June 2015, nearly a decade after the children's deaths, a hunter discovered skeletal remains in a hilly area of Hualien County, later identified as belonging to Liu and Lin. Forensic examiners believed the couple may have died by suicide.
Where the Case Stands
The full circumstances of what happened inside the Liu family's home have never been officially resolved. Some investigators have speculated the deaths may have been connected to Liu's debts, though this has never been confirmed, and the presence of unidentified DNA at the scene has left open the possibility that people outside the family were involved.
FAQ
Was this ruled a murder-suicide?
Investigators have never officially closed the case with a confirmed explanation; unidentified DNA at the scene left open questions about outside involvement.
When were the parents' remains found?
In June 2015, nearly nine years after the children's deaths.
What made the crime scene so puzzling?
The bathroom where the children were found had been sealed entirely from the inside, with no apparent way for anyone to have left.