Zhengzhou city police have confirmed that the 27-year-old male Didi driver suspected of killing a female flight attendant last week, was found to have committed suicide early Saturday morning. Police had been on a city-wide manhunt for the driver, surnamed Liu, after his car was abandoned following the murder of a female flight attendant. Didi had offered a ￥1m reward to anyone who could provide information about the driver.
Didi, the world’s leading mobile transportation platform, has yet to comment further after the ride-share company issued an official apology on Thursday (May 10th). In an attempt to tighten policies and re-assure its users of safety, Didi has suspended all services for one week, The Straits Times has reported.
The deceased Ms. Li was found found half-naked and reportedly stabbed at least 20 times. Her farther had notified police after she failed to make contact on May 6. It has since been revealed that Li had messaged a friend at the time of her trip saying her Didi driver was behaving strangely.
Her father told the press that he believes his daughter was raped before she was murdered. The murder of the 21-year-old flight attendant, whom worked for budget airline Lucky Air, and the subsequent suicide of her murderer, has the nation transfixed, frightened and in disbelief; already generating 85 million views on China’s social site Weibo.
The case has lead many to question the safety of ride share services. It is believed that Liu was driving under his father’s registered Didi account when the incident occurred. China’s Ministry of Transport has announced its plans to enforce stricter regulations for the car-hailing industry via WeChat. The announcement stated that drivers not holding approved licenses would be added to the Ministry’s Close Attention List.
After coverage of the murder suicide was broadcast on Chinese news, many other reports of varying issues with the company has begun to surface, including the phone app’s review system where drivers had been reportedly leaving sexist comments rating riders’ attractiveness.
