Landlord murdered over 50 yuan

A 32-year-old Henan Province man was indicted Wednesday for killing his landlord in a dispute over 50 yuan ($8.20).

The defendant, Zhou Yongtao, was charged in Shanghai No.1 Intermediate People's Court with intentional homicide and could face the death penalty.

The prosecution accused Zhou of killing 56-year-old Wang Shoulong around 10 am on December 5 after the landlord demanded that Zhou pay the remainder of his rent, according to the indictment read in court.

The defendant and his wife rented a room in Wang's house in Lüxiang county in Jinshan district on December 2 for 150 yuan per month, including 50 yuan for Internet access, Zhou said in court. Zhou paid the landlord 100 yuan to cover the 100-yuan security deposit and 100 yuan for the rent, but was still 50 yuan short.

Around 6 am on December 5, Zhou got off the nightshift at his job and went drinking at his friend's dormitory. He returned to his room in Wang's house later that day and passed out.

He was awakened by Wang, who demanded that Zhou pay the 50 yuan he still owed on his rent. The landlord told Zhou that he shouldn't have rented the room if he didn't have the money to pay the rent.

Zhou said in court that he thought Wang was trying to humiliate him. Enraged, he followed Wang into his part of the house and the two men started fighting in Wang's kitchen. Zhou smashed Wang's head with a brick and then choked him to death, the court said.

After killing Wang, Zhou took the landlord's wallet, his cellphone and a jewelry box containing a gold ring, a pair of gold earrings and several other items.

He then hid Wang's body into his bedroom and covered it with a quilt, according to the indictment. He and his wife then fled.

Wang's wife called the police after she found her husband's body in Zhou's bedroom.

Police tracked Zhou to a friend's home in Fengxian district. Wang tried to flee again but he was caught soon after. Police had him in custody six hours after Wang's body was found.

In court, Zhou denied planning to murder Wang, saying that he killed the other man in the heat of the moment.

The prosecution recommended that the court sentence Zhou to death.

Zhou's lawyer asked the court for leniency because his client had confessed to the crimes.

The prosecution also charged Zhou with theft for stealing the jewelry from Wang's home.

Zhou had been sentenced to one year of probation in 2004 and three months in jail in 2009 for theft in Henan Province, according to the prosecutor.