Dog thief brothers kill gas station couple after refueling refusal

Dog thief and murderer
Wu Si Chao in court.
Name	Wu Si Chao (武思超)
Age	30 (at time of execution)
Occupation	Migrant worker
Known Identifiers	—
Status	Deceased
Involvement	Co-perpetrator of the October 9, 2010 double murder. Delivered the fatal stab wounds to both victims.
Punitive Measure	Executed by lethal injection on August 4, 2021.

Dog thief and murderer
Arrest of Wu Wei.
Name	Wu Wei (武威)
Age
Occupation
Known Identifiers	—
Status	Sentenced
Involvement	Co-perpetrator of the October 9, 2010 double murder. Initiated the fatal confrontation.
Punitive Measure	Sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve and restricted parole.

The Changgang Gas Station Double Murder refers to the killing of a gas station owner and his wife on October 9, 2010, in Hubei, China, by brothers Wu Si Chao (武思超) and Wu Wei (武威). The case is a significant example of the link between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence, as the murders stemmed directly from a confrontation that occurred while the brothers were out at night equipped to steal dogs. After a lengthy investigation, Wu Si Chao was executed for the crimes in 2021.

Dog hunting context

On the night of October 8, 2010, Wu Si Chao and his younger brother Wu Wei set out on a motorcycle equipped with two knives, pliers, and snakeskin bags for the purpose of "猎杀土狗" (hunting stray dogs). As pointed out by numerous online commentators, this term is a common euphemism for stealing domestic and stray dogs, often to be sold into the illegal dog meat trade. The brothers were armed and predisposed to violence as part of this activity, which set the stage for the subsequent murders.

The murders

In the early hours of October 9, the brothers arrived at the Dahongshan Scenic Area gas station in Changgang Township and demanded gasoline. The owner, 54-year-old 汪某甲 (identified as Wang), refused, stating it was too late. Enraged, Wu Wei began kicking the station's roll-up metal door. When Wang opened the door, a physical altercation broke out between him and Wu Wei.

Seeing the fight, Wu Si Chao joined in. The two brothers then used the knives they had brought for dog hunting to brutally attack the owner, stabbing him over 70 times. Wang Moujia died at the scene from a stab wound to the heart.

To eliminate witnesses, Wu Si Chao then entered the station's living quarters, where Wang's wife, 53-year-old 杨某某 (identified as Yang), was hiding. He stabbed her more than ten times, killing her as well. The brothers then fled the scene.

Investigation, arrests, and legal outcomes

The case remained cold for years, becoming a top priority for the Hubei Provincial Public Security Department. A breakthrough occurred with the arrest of Wu Wei on January 18, 2018. On December 6, 2018, he was convicted of intentional murder and sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, with his sentence restricted from further reduction.

The primary perpetrator, Wu Si Chao, was arrested on March 15, 2019. He was tried by the Suizhou Intermediate People's Court, convicted of intentional murder, and sentenced to death. Wu Si Chao appealed the verdict, but the Hubei High People's Court upheld the original sentence.

The case was automatically sent to the Supreme People's Court of China for final review. On May 21, 2021, the Supreme Court ratified the death sentence, finding that Wu Si Chao's crime was "especially cruel" and the consequences "especially severe." On August 4, 2021, Wu Si Chao was executed by lethal injection in Suizhou.