BIBLIOASIA JUL – SEP 2017 Vol. 13 / Issue 02 / Feature violence generally suffer from what is known ings, revenge, jealousy, fear, desperation or Sunny Ang Soo Suan came from a middle- as a pathological personality condition. religious fanaticism. class family and obtained his Senior Criminal or offender profiling (also Singapore has seen several promi- Cambridge Grade One school certificate in known as criminal investigative analy- nent murder cases over the last 50 years, 1955. He received a Colombo Plan scholar- sis) is sometimes used by the police to each unique in its own way. As there are ship in 1957 to train as a commercial airline explain the behavioural makeup of the too many cases to profile within the scope pilot, but was subsequently dropped from perpetrator and identify likely suspects. of this article, we have selected only four the programme due to his arrogant and Careful study of the crime scene photos, cases – Mimi Wong, John Martin Scripps, irresponsible behaviour. Ang also had a the physical and non-physical evidence, Sunny Ang and Adrian Lim – that span the history of theft, and was caught trying to the manner in which the victim was killed decades from the 1960s to 1990s. The first steal from a radio shop on 12 July 1962, or the body disposed of, witnesses’ state- two have been categorised as “crimes of only to be successfully defended by the ments, autopsy photos and forensic lab impulse” (also called “crimes of passion”, prominent criminal lawyer, David Mar- reports allow investigators to compile a usually driven by jealousy or murderous shall, and placed on probation. MURDER profile of the murderer. rage), while the latter two involved care- Ang was also a former Grand Prix The level of risk taken by the offender ful planning and malicious aforethought race car driver, and was ranked among and the degree of organisation (or disor- (called “instrumental crimes”, with the the top 10 in the 1961 Singapore Grand ganisation) of the crime scene can provide crime being the instrument to achieve a Prix. He was also a reckless driver, killing clues about the relationship between specific aim). a pedestrian shortly after the Grand Prix the perpetrator and victim, as well as event, claiming that the man had suddenly MOST the nature of their interactions prior to Sunny Ang: Murder for Greed appeared on the road. Ang became an the crime. Inferences can also be drawn undischarged bankrupt in October 1962; about the perpetrator’s emotional state he owed debts of more than $6,000 to of mind by examining the injuries left three parties and remained a bankrupt When: 27 August 1963, 5 pm on the victim’s body. Extensive injuries up to his death in 1967. Crime scene: Straits of Pulau Dua or excessive ligature markings usually Ang met Jenny Cheok Cheng Kid (Sisters’ Islands) point to a high level of rage or aggression. when she was employed as a waitress at The accused: Sunny Ang Soo Suan MALEVOLENT A meticulously constructed profile can the Odeon Bar and Restaurant. She was alias Anthony Ang, aged 28 become a useful tool to help the police a divorcee with two children, a son and The victim: Jenny Cheok Cheng Kid, recreate the crime scene and narrow a daughter. aged 22 Sunny Ang, Mimi Wong, Adrian Lim and John Martin Scripps down the scope of their investigations. On 27 August 1963, Ang and Cheok are some of the most cold-blooded murderers in Singapore’s Studies have shown that many mur- hired a boat at Jardine Steps for a scuba- ders arise from conflicts between people diving trip to Pulau Dua (Sisters’ Islands). “It seems there is a popular belief crime history. Sharon Teng revisits their horrific acts. who know each other, such as friends, At Ang’s instructions, the boatman Yusuf that there can be no murder unless lovers, spouses or family members. Some bin Ahmad dropped anchor in the mid- a body is produced. Nothing can be may resort to violence as an attempt to dle of the straits. Cheok suited up in her more fallacious and more untrue. A establish power or assert control over diving gear and descended into the sea, person can be convicted of murder the other person. Other murders may be only to surface less than 10 minutes later. without the body being found.” 4 precipitated by a psychological build-up of She then did a second dive after Ang had physical or emotional trauma over time as -Justice Murray Buttrose, the presiding exchanged her cylinder tank with another, well as anger, financial greed, sexual crav- High Court judge, 18 May 1965 claiming that the first tank contained insuf- There are few things more heinous than In 2015, the Singapore Police Force mysteries, forensic crime fiction, legal and ficient air. In the meantime, Ang stayed on a premeditated act of taking a human handled a total of 33,839 crime cases (or courtroom dramas, psychological thrillers board, claiming to have problems fixing a life. Under Singapore’s Penal Code Act 607 cases per 100,000 people), compared and police detective stories. Breaking news leak on his own tank. t(Cap. 224), culpable homicide is defined with 9,225,197 cases (or 2,870.2 cases per headlines of violent crimes, particularly When Cheok did not emerge after her as murder when the person who causes 100,000 people) reported in the United those involving murder, invariably attract second dive, Ang and Yusuf searched in death knowingly performs an act with States during the same year. “Crimes much public attention and invoke coffee- vain for air bubbles breaking on the water the intention of causing death or with against persons” (i.e. crimes in which the shop speculation and gossip. surface before heading to nearby St John’s the intention of causing injury leading to victim suffers bodily harm) constituted 12 What triggers an otherwise law- Island to call the Marine Police for help. death.1 In Singapore, murder is one of the percent. In the same year, there were 15 abiding citizen to go into a murderous rage Both men then picked up five Malay fisher- few crimes that warrants the mandatory cases of murder, the third lowest recorded and kill someone? In order to understand man divers from another nearby island to death penalty, besides drug trafficking in 20 years.3 why people are pushed over the edge, help search for Cheok. Even though Ang and firearms-related offences.2 homicide investigators, forensic psycholo- was a good swimmer and an experienced Singapore may be one of the safest A Murderous Mind gists, criminologists and law enforcement diver, he never entered the water once to countries in the world, but in spite of the professionals typically examine the different help search for Cheok. city-state’s tough stance against law- Crimes and criminals are objects of fas- elements of a homicide: whether the murder Divers from the Royal Navy and breakers and its unequivocal position on cination that have been fictionalised, was premeditated, the motivation of the RAF Changi Sub-Aqua Club conducted capital punishment, every now and then romanticised, sensationalised, and given killer, the context of the killing, the choice of several searches for Cheok’s body to no one hears about a horrifically violent act a larger-than-life presence in books, televi- the murder instrument used, details of the avail. Then, during a search operation of crime. sion and films based on whodunnit murder crime scene, and the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator. Sunny Ang, being led by police officers here, was Many psychological theories have been charged with the murder of Jenny Cheok Cheng Kid Sharon Teng is a Librarian with the National Library, Singapore. Her responsibilities include offered to explain criminal behaviour, such at sea off Pulau Dua (Sisters’ Islands) on 27 August managing the library’s social sciences and humanities collection, developing content, and 1963. This photo is dated 4 March 1965. Source: The providing reference and research services. as temporary insanity, mental deficiency and Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. defective personality traits. Perpetrators of Permission required for reproduction. 16 17 BIBLIOASIA JUL – SEP 2017 Vol. 13 / Issue 02 / Feature the Insurance Company of North America. In 1979, Harvesters Film Distribution After Sim lost his job, Wong became in her plot to murder Ayako. Four days (Below) The straits of Pulau Dua (Sisters’ Islands) where Jenny Cheok Cheng Kid was murdered at around 5 pm on 27 August 1963. Photo taken by Ria Tan in August 2008. Courtesy of WildSingapore. And barely three hours before their dive and Production Pte Ltd announced that the sole breadwinner, supporting her hus- before the deed, Wong got together a tin (Bottom) Sunny Ang and his mother Madam Yeo Bee Neo (who was sole executor of the deceased's will) trip on 27 August, Ang extended the the Sunny Ang murder was slated to be band and two sons. In 1967, she started a of toilet cleaning liquid, a knife and a pair tried to hasten the coroner's inquiry into concluding that Jenny Cheok had drowned so that an insurance policy for a $150,000 protection to cover made into a Mandarin film estimated to new job as a towel girl at a Pasir Panjang of black gloves. At 9.30 pm on the night claim could be filed. The Straits Times, 5 March 1965, p.11. an additional five days starting from 11 cost $700,000. The actual names of the Road bar and became a waitress soon of 6 January 1970, Wong and Sim went to am on that day.