KUNMING – A Chinese man convicted of murder was executed on Tuesday in southwestern Yunnan province, following a retrial that overturned his original death sentence with a two-year reprieve, according to the court authorities.

The execution of Tian Yongming was carried out by the Intermediate People's Court of Yuxi city. Tian met with his close relatives before the execution.

Tian was imprisoned in 1996 for raping and assaulting a woman surnamed Zhao. Four months after his release from prison in July 2002, he armed himself with a knife and broke into Zhao's home in an attempt to take revenge. Aware of the danger, Zhao fled from her home. Tian chased her and fatally stabbed Liu Mingfu, a 37-year-old villager who was trying to stop him. Tian then caught up with Zhao and stabbed her several times, leading to her minor injuries.

Tian remained at large for years after the crime and was eventually apprehended in February 2022. In November 2022, the Intermediate People's Court of Yuxi city sentenced Tian to death with a two-year reprieve, with lifelong deprivation of his political rights.

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Following an appeal by Tian, the Higher People's Court of Yunnan province issued a final ruling on Oct 26, 2025, upholding the original sentence in accordance with the principle of "no additional punishment for appealing" in the Criminal Procedure Law.

Two days later, the Higher People's Court of Yunnan province reopened the case, as the court found clear errors in the application of law and a manifestly inappropriate sentence. Following the retrial, the court convicted Tian of intentional homicide and sentenced him to death on Feb 3, 2026, with lifelong deprivation of his political rights. The Supreme People's Court later ratified the death penalty.

In its ruling, the retrial court noted that Tian showed extreme criminal intent, committed heinous acts, posed a grave danger to society, and was a repeat offender, warranting a heavier punishment.

The court stressed that while the original trial had correctly established the facts and conviction, it had misapplied the law, resulting in a manifestly inappropriate sentence that needed to be corrected. Accordingly, the revised death sentence was handed down.

Zhao Xingxiang, a lawyer based in the provincial capital Kunming, said the handling of the case demonstrates judicial progress through its firm commitment to correcting errors. He also noted that the retrial procedure fully complied with the Criminal Procedure Law.