Zhang Yiyang Case: Chinese Actor Sentenced to Death for Teen Girlfriend’s Murder

Chinese actor Zhang Yiyang was executed in December 2024 after being convicted of murdering his 16-year-old girlfriend in a remote forest in Xingping City. The case marked China’s first celebrity death penalty for a violent crime.

The case that stirred and shocked China and the wider entertainment firmament is that of the singer-actor Zhang Yiyang, who in December 2024 was put to death for the wanton murder of his 16-year-old girlfriend. The events took place in February of 2022, and it is said to have been the first known case in which a Chinese celebrity was sentenced to death for a violent crime.

Zhang Yiyang Teen Girlfriend’s Murder Case:

According to court documents delivered by the Xianyang Intermediate People's Court in Shaanxi Province, Zhang invited the teenager to a remote forest in Xingping City with the intent of celebrating his birthday. During the meeting, an argument broke out after the girl said she wanted to end the relationship. In a rage, Zhang stabbed her multiple times in the neck with a folding knife, cutting through the carotid artery and windpipe. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Covers-Up and Arrest

After the killing, Zhang attempted to stage the scene as a suicide and even tried to commit suicide himself. He was later found in a hotel room and arrested. The court determined that Zhang acted with intent that was premeditated, with the brutality of the crime and his attempt to manipulate the scene of the crime representing a grave danger to public safety.

Trial, Appeal, and Execution

Charging Zhang with intentional homicide, his trial ultimately ended in conviction and a death sentence. He filed for an appeal, but it was a failed motion, and the death sentence was confirmed. Zhang was executed by firing squad on December 18, 2024, a method still practiced in China.

Public Reaction and Industry Fallout

Zhang was well cartooned by that time and stood out as a rising star with many projects in the works. His sudden fall from grace had ignited intense debate on the accountability of celebrities and the darker side of fame. One of his projects posthumously released in March 2025 was met by vitriol from netizens, many of whom chastised the entertainment industry for allowing circulation of his work despite the abhorrence of his crime.