On October 12, 2003, in China  Ma Yong (43), was arrested and accused of robbing and killing 12 women in southern China over a five-month period, preying on job seekers in the boomtown of Shenzhen. Duan Zhiqun (20), his female partner, was arrested Oct 23.

The couple posed as prospective employers and lured women, looking for work, to their home "office". Ma Yong, who called himself Mr Xie, and Duan robbed and killed the women, dumping their bodies all over the province of Buji.

When a young woman from the home of Yong and Duan on October 13, 2003, the couple were reported to police and quickly arrested.

At their trial, the pair pleaded guilty to the murders of twelve young women and was sentenced to death for their crimes.