‘China’s Jack the Ripper’ stands trial

A high-profile criminal case has been heard at the Baiyin Municipal Intermediate People’s Court in Gansu Province on Tuesday.

Alleged serial killer Gao Chengyong, detained in the city of Baiyin last year, is on trial for intentional killing, rape, robbery and desecrating a human corpse.

If convicted, the 53-year old Gao could face the death penalty. A verdict is expected later this week.

Gao Chengyong is accused of raping and murdering 11 people from 1988 to 2002. He was arrested in August, 2016, after a lengthy investigation in the city of Baiyin, where 9 of the 11 killings took place.

Prosecutors have alleged Gao would target young women dressed in red, then follow them home, where he would subsequently rape and kill them, normally by cutting their throats. The victims’ bodies were also mutilated after their deaths, leading to the killer being dubbed ‘China’s Jack the Ripper’ in Chinese media.