Tenant's horror after discovering home's creepy history from a crime show

A tenant in China has discovered the horrific crime that unfolded at his rented property after happening upon the story covered by a crime TV program.

A blogger who shares media coverage of criminal cases uploaded a short video online which divulged the murder that took place at the unit in Jilin City, in the country’s northwest region. A woman showing the property for sale on behalf of her friend was found dead there in March 2014. Her body was shrouded by a pillow.

The video, on the Chinese blog Douyin, was comprised of footage from a story on the killing, which appeared on the state-run channel crime show, CCTV.

The current tenant commented on the video that he was the one now living there, the South China Morning Post reported.

The renter, named Xingxinzhe, said had not known about the slaying under his own roof and uploaded a video tour of the apartment to prove his story, the Post said.

A large volume of comments on Chinese social media, including Weibo – the equivalent of Facebook – have expressed horror at the position the tenant found themselves in.

“Imagine this guy coming home to relax after a hard day’s work, scrolling through Douyin, and realising that the crime scene looks familiar,” one comment said, as reported by the Post. “Then he realised someone was killed right next to where he sleeps every night. This is crushing. Imagine the psychological impact on this guy.”

Others on the blog commented that the layout and décor in Xingxinzhe’s tour matched that from the CCTV program. Disturbingly, one observer said they saw the same pillow, still in the property, which the killer used to cover the woman’s remains.

One of the more lighthearted comments was: “What brand is that refrigerator? It is still working after 10 years.”

In Australia, disclosure laws ensure prospective buyers are aware of a property’s history.

The latest state to bring in the rule is Queensland.

As of October last year, vendors of Queensland properties have to share background information – some of it potentially unpleasant – that may influence a buyer.

The changes announced include mandatory disclosure of material facts, which means buyers must be given the sorts of details that may sway their decision.

This requirement is one of many alterations made by the Palaszczuk government, following a five-year expert review, to how homes are bought and sold in Queensland. The original act was introduced in 1974 and had not been touched in 50 years, until the 2023 update.

Material facts can include body corporate certificates, structural defects and whether a home has has been subject to natural disasters, such as a flood or a bushfire.

These rules bring Queensland in line with other states.