13‑Year Jail Bid, Open‑Relationship Meltdown Turns Deadly in Singapore
What Happened? The Big Picture
A 29‑year‑old over‑protective man, Neo Chun Zheng, slipped into a tragic spiral after a clashing of love and control. He murdered his 23‑year‑old girlfriend, Ms Soh Yuan Lin, with a folding knife at his apartment outside Boon Lay on 26 November 2015. The case left the city stunned—a fatal mix of obsessive jealousy, an open‑relationship deal that shattered, and a moment of absolute violence.
Why The Jailterm? 13 Years of Consequence
During the High Court hearing on Monday (Nov 12) Neo pleaded guilty to culpable homicide. He left the judges with a belly‑aching “eternal regret” and a swath of remorse, for which the court accepted as proof he had learned a grave lesson.
- Initial plea: 13 years of jail
- Public prosecutor demanded 15 years, citing revenge for not being the sole owner.
- Neo’s lawyer pushed for 10 years, arguing he was “truly remorseful” from the moment he realized his mistake.
- Judge indicated that the psychiatric panel found no mental disorder affecting his decision at the time of the incident.
- Final verdict: 13 years behind bars.
Circle of Suffering: The Relationship Story
Neo and Ms Soh met back at Marina Bay Sands in April 2014 where both were customer‑relations stars. Something was off, though: Ms Soh wanted a “non‑exclusive” set‑up—a secret little secret. Neo agreed, but his brain pulled a classic jealousy‑shuffle once he saw evidence of her seeing other men.
The jealousy doubled in March 2015 after Neo found compromising photos showing Ms Soh in an affair. In September that year he confronted the situation once again and ended up being the political opponent—he exploded, she broke up, and promised “solo for me.”
Neo discovered Ms Soh was using Tinder—yes, the app that’s supposed to help people find matches. He felt betrayed, hot‑wired to weaponize eventually:
“I’d think about disfiguring her with acid.”
Neo repwent that violence woes with a brittle request for dinner. Correspondence in late November culminated in a heated argument in the corridor of Neo’s apartment. He snatched Ms Soh’s phone, plotted for a knife, and when his mother tried to disarm him, he lashed her and carved the victim once in the neck. Ms Soh died three hours later in the hospital.
Emotional Echoes: The Family’s Perspective
Ms Soh’s family, staying out of court, released a short note that the apology letter Neo had sent after his guilt plea was turned down. The judge saw enough tangible remorse in Neo’s statements—including a heartfelt message about his “eternal regret” and vowing to “always love her.”
He also apologized to the family: “I am very, very sorry for causing you such tremendous grief, sorrow and suffering. I can only hope that some day you may find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Key Takeaways
- Open relationships can be colorful but at the extreme, can switch into extreme jealousy.
- The court considered both the drama and the legitimate remorse for a 13-year sentence.
- Neo’s story is an archetypal cautionary tale: don’t be possessive into murderous intent.
While this was a very grim story of attachment turning violent, the final judgment—13 years in prison—remains a stone‑cold reminder that love must never be a warrant for murder. The city’s bruise still echoes, and those who lived through it are left to carry the shock in their hearts.
