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The unsolved murder of Linda Chua, a lone jogger who was brutally attacked at Bukit Batok Nature Park
On 6 February 2000, 27-year-old Linda Chua was found naked and injured at Bukit Batok Nature Park.
She was rescued from a 10m-deep ravine and immediately transported to the National University Hospital.
However, she succumbed to her injuries on 14 Feb.
25 years on, the case remains one of the most shocking cold cases in Singapore, as Linda’s assailants were never caught.
Eldery couple finds injured woman
That fateful Sunday, an elderly couple was on their morning stroll at around 9am when they heard a woman’s cries.The woman would later be identified as Linda Chua, an Exxon Mobil employee who lived in a condominium near the park.
She was assessed for severe head injuries and was believed to have been raped and attacked by more than one person.
Police would later find one muddy slipper at the scene.
According to reports, Linda was jogging close to Lorong Sesuai, which links the park to Upper Bukit Timah Road, when the attack occurred.
After the jog, she was supposed to join her family for church.
Her fiancé tried to contact her when she failed to return home and searched the park when she remained unreachable.
As it turns out, Linda had already been taken away in the ambulance an hour before.
Her fiancé only learnt of the tragedy from the police who were still at the park.
Authorities classified the case as murder when Linda was declared dead about a week after the attack.
Based on an autopsy report, she suffered a blow to the head with a blunt object before falling into the ravine and hitting her head again.
Bruises on her arms also suggested that she was forcibly restrained.
Linda Chua regarded as a capable woman, was about to get married
The tragedy left Linda’s family and colleagues shocked and heartbroken.She was described by loved ones as a “quintessential Singapore girl” who loved food, shopping, and travel.
Linda and her fiancé had also hoped to host a church wedding in December that year after securing an HDB flat in Marine Parade.
However, those plans were tragically cut short.
Linda’s older sister remembered her as a perfectionist who strived for excellence, but also friendly and generous towards the people around her.
Meanwhile, her colleagues at Exxon Mobil agreed that she was disciplined, principled, and dedicated to her work.
The company’s then director, Mr Kwa Chong Seng, shared that Linda joined the company as a planning analyst.
Due to her talent and professional competence, the Nanyang Technological University graduate had risen quickly through the ranks to become a financial reporting manager.
No suspect despite extensive investigations
By the end of March, about two months after the attack, police reportedly interviewed more than 1,000 people.These included foreign workers, friends, and family of the deceased.
Authorities described the case as complicated and assured that they were investigating the case from all angles.
Despite DNA tests and extensive searches of nearby construction areas, no suspect was found.
Rewards offered for help in capturing cruel killers
Citizen’s groups, the public, and friends of the victim came together to put forth an S$80,000 reward to help find the culprits.Mr David Hoong, then a director of an insurance company and the vice president of the Triathlon Association of Singapore, also made an offer of S$5,000 to anyone who could give critical leads and help police capture the people who killed Linda Chua.
“I prayed very hard that she would recover, and provide a description of her attackers so the culprit would be caught,” he said, describing the crime as “brutal”.
Mr Hoong further reassured young joggers about the safety of Singapore’s parks.
“It would be sad if they gave up the sport if they’re afraid to run there,” he added.
Following the case of Linda Chua, volunteers started patrolling Bukit Batok Nature Park as part of a safety scheme.
The public was also encouraged to jog in groups and during peak periods, so that such a tragedy does not repeat itself.
