At 3 a.m. on 1/11/2014, the 999 emergency hotline rang. On the other end was a male voice speaking English, stating he wanted to surrender. When the coordinator asked for more information, he grew impatient, saying, "You come and see for yourselves."

Upon investigating the caller's residence, police discovered two bodies in an apartment on the 31st floor of the J Residence luxury condominium in Wan Chai district. One body was in the living room; the second was found in a suitcase on the balcony, having been deceased for approximately one week.

Police collecting evidence in the apartment. Photo: The Standard

Police collecting evidence in the apartment. Photo: The Standard

The perpetrator was Rurik Jutting, 29, a British investment banking advisor. Rurik had a promising future, but due to work pressure, he spiraled into drug addiction and deviant sexual behaviors, leading to the brutal torture and murder of two Indonesian women.

The first victim was Sumarti Ningsih, 23, who had a 5-year-old son in Indonesia. Facing financial hardship, she left her family for Hong Kong to work as a sex worker. The second victim was Seneng Mujiasih, 26, who worked as a domestic helper and sex worker in Wan Chai's red-light district.

The downfall of a genius

Rurik came from a wealthy family and had an IQ of 137, placing him in the top 1% of individuals with high IQs. After graduating from Cambridge University with a degree in law and history, he worked for British and American investment banks, quickly advancing to an annual salary of 270,000 GBP.

However, in 2012, due to misconduct in selling the bank's investment products, Rurik was reprimanded by his superiors and transferred to the Hong Kong branch in 2013.

Arrogant by nature, Rurik viewed this as a "negative turning point" in his career and felt his transfer to Hong Kong was a deliberate attempt by his superiors to remove him.

During this period, Rurik's alcohol consumption became uncontrollable; he needed to drink heavily just to sleep. He briefly saw a psychiatrist, confiding that he often felt sad and prone to crying at work.

After arriving in Hong Kong in 10/2013, Rurik regularly drank three-quarters of a vodka bottle to sleep and used cocaine. He claimed he smuggled cocaine via his anus on the flight.

Rurik grew increasingly depressed and pessimistic living in Hong Kong, spending much time at home drinking and playing computer games. He also developed extreme sexual interests and an obsession with violent pornography. Rurik began soliciting sex in 2009, and over time, his behavior became more aggressive.

By 2014, Rurik had "completely lost control." He frequently used cocaine for days on end. Once, he missed a scheduled meeting in London and told his boss he had HIV. Rurik developed constant cravings, his weight surged, and he stopped going to work for two weeks before the murders. Instead, he spent hours watching and reading violent pornographic content.

Rurik once tried to find men on the Grindr app for sex, later telling a psychologist that he "tried to do everything he could to have new experiences," but described everything as "disappointing."

Rurik had several girlfriends, but his relationships were always brief, the longest not exceeding two and a half years.

Seven horrific days in the apartment

Around 3 a.m. on 25/10/2014, Rurik brought Sumarti Ningsih back to his apartment after offering to pay for sex.

Previously, Rurik had contacted Sumarti through a sex work website and arranged to meet at a hotel. However, due to his excessive roughness, Sumarti returned half the money and asked to leave. Sumarti initially declined Rurik's second offer but could not resist the temptation of 8,000 HKD, agreeing to the transaction.

Sumarti's nightmare began when Rurik beat and raped her. He then imprisoned and tortured her with pliers, a belt, and sex toys, while filming the torture on his phone.

By 27/10/2014, Rurik was unusually agitated after using cocaine. He tied Sumarti with a belt, then repeatedly beat, sexually abused, and tortured her. He then used a knife to murder the victim, filming and photographing the scene.

Rurik stated he was in a semi-conscious state due to cocaine when he committed the crime: "When the cocaine's effects lessened, I felt quite regretful, I kept saying I loved her," he confessed during a police interrogation. However, in another interrogation, Rurik said he had not tortured Sumarti as much as he wanted before killing her.

After confirming Sumarti's death, Rurik placed her body in a large plastic bag, then put it into a suitcase and moved it to the balcony.

Rurik Jutting smiling while in a police car. Photo: AFP

Rurik Jutting smiling while in a police car. Photo: AFP

After several days of living with the body, on 31/10/2014, Rurik planned to torture a second victim. He bought tools, including sandpaper, nails, and a blowtorch, then recorded a video on his iPhone describing how to use them to torture a victim.

That night, Rurik met Seneng Mujiasih in a bar in Wan Chai and offered to pay 10,000 HKD for sex. At the apartment, Seneng saw the sadomasochistic tools and refused to continue, screaming and cursing. Rurik held a knife to her throat, saying he would kill her if she continued to resist. During the struggle, Rurik cut the victim's throat.

Rurik told police, "I was hunting, and unfortunately, she was the hunted."

After using more cocaine, Rurik said he considered suicide but ultimately called 999. He also called his boss, stating, "I'm in big trouble, you need to do something to save the bank's reputation."

The perpetrator pays the price

During interrogation, Rurik expressed remorse, apologizing twice to the victims and their families.

However, according to doctor Kavin Chow, a prosecution expert, Rurik continued to fantasize about rape and abduction even while detained at a psychiatric center.

Rurik pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, citing diminished responsibility due to narcissistic personality disorder, sexual sadism disorder, and substance abuse involving drugs and alcohol.

In court, his lawyer described the dark side behind Rurik's outwardly glamorous life, influenced by drugs, sadism, and a severe personality disorder.

However, when sentencing, the judge noted that the defendant's morality had been corrupted by drugs, sex, and alcohol. He described the defendant as "extremely dangerous," having caused "one of the most horrific cases in Hong Kong." The judge believed the defendant filmed the torture and murders out of pride, not genuinely regretting his actions towards the victims. He sentenced Rurik to life imprisonment in 11/2016.

Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong demand justice for the victims. Photo: Sky News

Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong demand justice for the victims. Photo: Sky News

According to criminal psychology experts, despite the perpetrator's high intelligence, his unsatisfactory career gradually led him to flawed coping mechanisms for negative emotions, forming bad habits such as alcohol and drug addiction and immersion in sadomasochistic content.

After his arrest, Rurik told police he had used cocaine and experienced hallucinations, feeling sad during the crimes but not guilty. According to clinical psychologists, the perpetrator suffered from alcohol and drug use disorder; at the time of the crimes, he was intoxicated and using cocaine, leading to excitement, agitation, psychosis, hallucinations, and reduced self-control. He also had unusual sexual interests, was addicted to sadomasochistic films, and yearned to actualize his violent fantasies for stimulation and gratification.

Therefore, developing healthy living habits and hobbies is crucial for an individual's physical and mental development. It helps enhance psychological resilience and fosters a positive attitude toward life, enabling people to better withstand adversity.

Tue Anh (according to Singtao, BBC)