Serial killer, rapist executed in North China

BEIJING - Zhao Zhihong, a convict of multiple murders, was executed in northern China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Tuesday morning, said the Supreme People's Court (SPC).

After his death sentence was approved by the SPC, the Intermediate People's Court of the Hohhot City carried out the execution in the presence of procuratorate officers, said the SPC in a statement.

The SPC confirmed after a review that between September 1996 and July 2005, Zhao had conducted 17 crimes consisting of intentional homicide, rape, robbery and larceny in multiple places in Inner Mongolia.

These crimes involved the murder of six people and the rape of two girls under the age of 14 as well as 10 other women, according to the SPC.

The SPC statement said Zhao's crimes are especially vile in nature, involved brutal means and caused extremely serious consequences.

The recidivism elements in his case also deserve a heavier sentence.

Although Zhao confessed to his crimes, the facts, nature and circumstances of his case and the harm he had done made him ineligible for leniency, the SPC said.

Recently, the SPC approved the decision of the Higher People's Court of the Inner Mongolia to uphold the original verdict against Zhao, who was sentenced to death, deprived of political rights for life and fined 53,000 yuan ($8,464) for murder, rape, robbery and larceny.

Zhao refused to meet his family before the execution.