A 31-year-old influencer from Taiwan was found dead in a hotel bathtub in Malaysia, prompting police to launch a murder investigation.
Iris Hsieh, who had more than half a million Instagram followers, was discovered dead in a Kuala Lumpur hotel bathtub on October 22, according to Malaysia’s Star newspaper.
The report adds that the social media star was last seen with Malaysian rapper Namewee, who was allegedly the last person who saw Hsieh and was staying in the same room as her at the time of the incident.
On Sunday, Namewee wrote on his Instagram that he was “deeply sorry” about Hsieh’s death and alleged that the ambulance “took almost an hour to arrive.”
Last month, the musician was arrested on charges of illegal drug use and possession, but officials said he was quickly released after posting bail.
In his post, Namewee also denied using or possessing any drugs, writing, “The truth will be out when the police report is released,” and adding that “at most, I’ve just been drinking more lately.”
Hsieh’s death, initially reported as a sudden death, is now being investigated as a murder case, according to the New Straits Times.
Local officer Datuk Fadil Marsus told The Star that police have interviewed hotel staff and security, and are going through CCTV recordings to figure out what exactly happened.
“Investigations are ongoing from all angles, including individuals who were last with the victim,” Fadil said. “We will review all movements of both the victim and the suspect to determine whether he is a suspect.”
“It’s a comprehensive investigation examining every movement of both the victim and the person last seen with her.”
