Chinese man admits to ‘hammer killing spree’

The hammer was found in a minivan that Zhou drove to flee,a municipal police spokesman said.

Zhou was caught in the city of Dashiqiao Friday afternoon and appeared “calm” during questioning,the spokesman said.

Zhou said he fled so he could kill his father-in-law who dismissed him as “useless” for not being successful in business,and refused to lend him money just days before the murders,said the spokesman.

Ten bodies were found Thursday at a bathhouse and a neighbouring car wash. Among the dead were Zhou’s wife,son,father,a female bathhouse worker,three family members of Zhou’s landlord and three car wash workers.

Zhou borrowed 100,000 yuan (about $15,300 ) from his father-in-law to open an electrical repair shop several years ago,but the business did not do well.

When Zhou asked his father-in-law for more money several days ago,he was refused,said the spokesman.

In addition,Zhou suspected that his wife,Yan Bing,was having an affair with a car wash worker,who was also killed.

Zhou did not say why he killed his son and father. He said that after killing the ten people,he called his father-in-law to set up a meeting in his bathhouse,but was refused. He even drove to his father-in-law’s house to look for him,but in vain.

Residents in Dayangqi,Zhou’s village,which is a few kilometres from the crime scene,said Zhou’s family has a history of mental illness.

However,villagers said that besides his introverted personality,Zhou was normal,Xinhua reported.