Singapore Zodiac: When a Sunshine‑Area Work Bay Turns Nightmarish
Caleb Joshua Chai Shanmugam, 50, finally got the heat he was served one Friday—he’s officially charged with murder after allegedly taking the life of Ang Qi Ying, 27, in a damp ground‑floor corner of Block 2 Beach River on the night of November 9.
The Case Unfolds
- Ms Ang’s phone went silent the night before she vanished—her last text to her mother sparked a frantic search.
- Her body was discovered in a shop on Sunday, where paramedics pronounced her dead on the spot.
- The two were co‑directors of Smart Click Services, a renovation firm registered at Peninsula Plaza since 1 Oct 2021.
- Police learned of the “unnatural death” on Sunday, cross‑checked with the missing‑person report from Nov 10, and started hunting a 50‑year‑old suspect.
Lights, Camera, Action—Or is it?
After spotting Chai on 10 Nov, he fled to Malaysia. Singapore cops called in the Royal Malaysia Police. He was nabbed in Johor Bahru by Wednesday and flown back to Singapore—classic “room‑escape‑and‑re‑enter” drama.
What Happens When the Crime Scene Includes a Corpse
- Ang’s family received the gruesome news that she was found dead.
- She was cremated at Mandai Crematorium on Tuesday, with a memorial in Woodlands soon thereafter.
- Chai is under the legal stewardship of Suang Wijaya and Sophia Ng from Eugene Thuraisingam’s law firm.
- Ms Ng told the Straits Times that Chai was charged at Changi General Hospital on Friday, but the reason for his hospital visit remains a mystery.
What’s Next?
The trial is postponed to Nov 25. If convicted, Chai faces Singapore’s death penalty for murder. The case is a sober reminder that even in the city’s shining skyline, shadows can creep in.
This rewrite appeared in the Straits Times—reproduction requires permission.
