Anthony Ler: Murder by Manipulation
- 2 days ago
- 12 min read
Anthony Ler’s case remains one of Singapore’s most shocking and disturbing murder cases to this day.
In 2001, Ler was the mastermind behind the murder of his estranged wife, Annie Leong, not by committing the act himself, but by manipulating a 15-year-old boy into carrying out the killing on his behalf.
Driven by financial desperation, resentment over divorce proceedings, and a desire to regain control over his collapsing life, Ler groomed and pressured the teenager through threats and emotional manipulation.
The case's brutality horrified Singapore and it also revealed how psychological influence and authority can push an impressionable teenager into committing an unthinkable crime.
Background Information
Anthony Ler Wee Teang was born in 1967, and was the youngest of 4 children. He was reported to have a very unhappy childhood, with his parents having gotten divorced while he was young.
Ler was not close to his family, and completed his education at River Valley Primary School and Thomson Secondary School before starting polytechnic.
However, after just one year of polytechnic, he dropped out due to his father’s reluctance to continue paying for his education.
He proceeded to finish his National Service and have a 5 year career in the army.
After coming out of the army, Ler attempted to start several businesses. However, all ended in bankruptcy and failure.
Ler first met his wife, Annie Leong Wai Mun, at a church when he was 19 years old.
At the time, Leong was only 15 years old.
They dated for 5 years before getting married in 1995, and had their first and only daughter in 1997.
However, Ler was constantly having affairs behind Leong’s back.
One of his affair partners, Belinda Ho Wei Lynn, only subsequently found out that he was a husband and father. Later on, Ler even allowed Ho to live in his flat along with his daughter and Leong, where Leong found out about the affair.
Ho and Ler’s affair was revealed to be complicated, as their relationship was affected by Ler’s financial problems, which was a result of all of his failed business ventures. This led to their affair ending 3 and a half years later after it started.
Ler also had an affair with another woman, Marilyn Tan Su Fen, who was helping him in his business ventures. However, that business ended in financial troubles along with their relationship.
Ultimately, Ho and Ler’s affair was one of the main factors in Leong filing for divorce.
Other factors included the fact that Leong had used their savings to settle Ler’s debt from financial problems rooted from his failed businesses. She had also previously quit her job to help Ler in starting a business, but went back after their daughter was born.
In October of 1999, Leong left Ler, bringing her daughter with her and moving into her mother's house.
In August of 2000, Ler nearly faced bankruptcy due to a failed publishing business, leading him to attempt suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills and was hospitalised.
Leong returned to help take care of him, giving Ler a sign of hope that they could reconcile their marriage. In reality, Leong filed for divorce in February of 2001 and was pending custody of their daughter and HDB flat. This was his motive for murder as the sale of the flat would pay off his debts.
Ler & The Boys
In February 2001, Ler had become friends with a group of boys, aged 16-22, whom he had met at a McDonalds outlet at Block 444 Pasir Ris Drive 6.
He had been introduced to them by Z, who had known Ler for around 5 years at the time. It was later revealed that because Z, the 15 year old, had known Ler for 5 years, he looked up to Ler as a role model, allowing Ler to manipulate Z into committing the murder of Annie Leong for him.
Ler asked the group of boys if they dared to kill, and one of them asked how much he was willing to pay. Ler expressed that he wanted to hire someone to kill his wife , who he hated as she did not let him see his daughter frequently. However, at the time, the group of boys thought he was joking and did not take his comments seriously.
The group of boys involved were Vickneswaran Krishnan, 17, Seah Tze Howe, 22, Gavin Ng Jin Wei, 16, and 19-year-old Kong Ka Cheong, and the 15 year old boy, Z.
In the first week of May 2001, Ler met up with Gavin and the 15 year old boy, Z. Ler brought up the issue of wanting his wife dead again, and asked Gavin if he would do it as he was "more daring and more gutsy".
Ler even went as far as describing how to kill Leong, saying it was easy. Gavin then realized he was serious about wanting his wife dead.
Gavin was later brought over to Ler’s flat, where Ler showed him an array of knives, telling him which ones were the most suitable for killing. Furthermore, Ler even carried out ‘training exercises’, where he instructed Gavin to slash a bolster covered in newspaper.
After this encounter with Ler, Gavin reached out to a friend to confide about the situation. After the friend told him not to do it, Gavin went back to Ler and refused to do it.
Gavin attempted to contact Z, the 15 year old, to tell him not to do what Ler was asking him to do, but could not reach him.
Subsequently, Seah Tze Howe was also approached by Ler, who was offering $100,00 for someone to kill his wife. Tze Howe suggested Ler hire a professional killer. Ler responded by saying he could not find anyone to do it.
Kong Ka Cheong and Vickneswaran Krishnan also began to realise the true intentions of Ler due to his constant mentioning of the issue of wanting his wife dead.
However, the 15 year old, Z, who was described as gullible and simple-minded by Gavin, agreed to Ler’s request to kill his wife.
Failed Attempts
The first attempt was on 10th May 2001.
Z was brought to Houngang Avenue and was instructed to go to Block 923, where Leong lived.
By instructions, Z wore a helmet to prevent facial identification and was armed with a steak knife.
After spotting Leong, Z called Ler to identify Leong’s identity. After matching the description, Z began to make his move but lost her when she alighted on the 4th floor (where she lived).
Later, Z saw Leong at the playground with her daughter. However, despite Ler’s insistence, he could not bring himself to attack Leong in the presence of her daughter.
The second attempt was on May 11th 2001.
Z had been having second thoughts about killing Leong, but ultimately tried again.
In a nearby carpark, he set the helmet down, ready to refuse the task.
However, moments later, a call from Ler came in, persuading Z to finish the task of killing Leong. However, he again missed Leong once reaching the 4th floor, and could not bring himself to take her life when seeing her with her daughter at the playground later on, once again.
After the second failed attempt, Ler began to threaten Z and his family’s lives if he did not finish the task.
Z did not attempt to murder Leong for the next two days as he wanted to spend time with his mother for mother’s day.
Z then visited Ler’s home on May 13th, where Ler gifted him a Japanese Samurai sword.
Despite Z liking the gift, when Ler asked Z to kill Leong using the sword he refused. Ler threatened to kill Z with the sword if he did not follow through with the killing of Leong.
After receiving the sword, Z spent the day out fishing and the night with his girlfriend.
The Murder
Z had been intentionally ignoring the calls from Ler. Once he picked up, Ler instructed him to go to Hougang.
He proceeded to go to Ler’s flat, armed with a steak knife and had brought along his textbook as an alibi.
Upon arrival, Ler and Z prepared for the attack and practiced the killing, with Ler specifically telling Z where to stab Leong.
On May 14th 2001, Ler went to meet Leong around 11pm, asking to meet at the playground to see his daughter. Upon meeting up, Ler asked Leong to sign some documents regarding the unsettled mortgage of their flat.
When they realised they did not have a pen, Leong decided to go upstairs to get a pen while Ler accompanied their daughter.
Unknowingly to Leong, Z had been observing the family the whole time. Upon seeing Leong enter the elevator, Z quickly ran up the stairs to the 4th floor to ambush her.
Just in time, he saw Leong step out of the elevator. From behind, Z covered her mouth with a red cloth and stabbed Leong across her neck and chest.
After completing the attack, Z fled the scene. Leong managed to make it to her mother’s apartment to say she had been stabbed, before collapsing due to her injuries.
During the murder, Ler heard the screams of Leong and rushed upstairs with his daughter. Upon seeing Leong, Ler put on a shocked expression in front of her family and neighbours, repeatedly telling her not to sleep while saying her name.
Before the ambulance arrived, the family attempted to stop the bleeding using towels. Upon further examination, it was discovered Leong also had a stab on her back.
While the family was trying to save Leong, Z quickly made his way to a bus stop, where he took a taxi to the back to dispose of the murder weapon in the ocean, according to Ler’s instructions.
Leong was brought to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
However, a few hours later on May 15th 2001, Leong succumbed to her injuries.
The autopsy revealed Leong had died from "acute haemorrhage due to stab wounds of heart and lung". The neck and chest wounds were measured 6 cm and 15 cm long respectively.
Arrest of Ler & the 15-year-old
After Leong’s death, police immediately started to investigate the case.
After investigating the crime scene, the only piece of evidence found was a torn front page of a newspaper, which Z used to wrap the knife in.
During the police’s investigation of Ler, he was extremely uncooperative and denied any involvement in his wife’s murder.
This made police suspicious of Ler, as normally when ones’ spouse is killed, the other is cooperative to ensure the killer is caught.
Police also retrieved Microsoft Word files in Ler's computer, containing a conversation between him and Z, three days after the stabbing.
Using computer forensics, the police found “incomplete sentences" which seemed to form part of a conversation between two people, sitting side by side at the same keyboard.
Worried that police were listening, he got Z to sit beside him and type. Ler deleted the text but forensic experts were able to access them.
One crucial sentence read: "Payment might have to wait."
This made Ler a prime suspect in the case of Leong’s murder.
During Leong’s funeral, he put on a sorrowful and heartbroken act.
He confessed to reporters that he was a bad husband due to his multiple affairs and debt. He described himself as the ‘devil’ and Leong as an ‘angel’.
Following his police interview, Ler agreed for authorities to search his home.
At his home, police collected additional evidence, including a newspaper that had its front page torn out. Upon questioning, Ler claimed he did not know where the missing torn page was.
On May 18th 2001, police brought in two of Ler’s known acquaintances, Gavin Ng and Z.
Z had already informed Ng that he had committed the crime, and Ng had let the rest of his friends know.
Upon questioning Z, he confessed to the murder out of guilt for his actions. He informed authorities that he killed Leong under the orders of Ler.
This led to Ler’s arrest at his Pasir Ris home around 10pm, only two days after his own interview.
Subsequently, Z was also arrested for the murder of Leong.
However, due to him being under 16 years old, his identity was protected by law enforcement, despite the media’s attempts to capture his identity.
It was reported that when Z’s parents found out about his arrest, they were shocked as Z was innately a good and caring person, and they could not understand what led him to commit such violent acts.
Trial & Legal Proceedings
On November 19th 2001, Ler and Z stood trial together at the High Court of Singapore.
The prosecution argued that Ler was the mastermind behind the entire murder of Annie Leong, and deliberately manipulated Z to kill Annie Leong.
The prosecution's case relied heavily on Z’s testimony, stating that Ler consistently pressured him and threatened him to kill Leong, and also provided the weapon and instructions on how to commit the murder.
This was supported by the other boys from the group coming forward to support this claim, demonstrating that it was premeditated and intended.
Ler’s defence tried to claim that he did not intend for the murder to happen and Z acted independently of his own will.
However, the court rejected this as it was clear Ler had instigated the situation under Singaporean laws.
In court, it was emphasised that without Ler’s planning and coercion, the murder would have never taken place, and he therefore held full criminal responsibility.
Ler was charged under Penal Code 109 and sentenced to mandatory death penalty.
However, since Z was only 15 years old at the time, he could not be sentenced to the death penalty.
He was charged for the murder of Annie Leong and was instead ordered to be detained at the President’s Pleasure, an indefinite sentence subject to review.
After Ler’s sentencing, his lawyer attempted to appeal the verdict on Ler’s behalf. However, his appeal was denied by the judges on March 4th 2002 after reviewing evidence and rejected Ler’s appeal of innocence.
The clemency plea to President S.R. Nathan, which was submitted in hopes that Ler’s sentence could be changed to life imprisonment, was also denied.
In the end, on December 13th 2002, 35 year old Anthony Ler was hanged at Changi Prison at dawn.
Though Z also attempted to appeal his sentencing, he ultimately withdrew his appeal.
Z served 17 years in prison, where he sat for his O-Levels and A-Level Examinations.
He was said to have excelled in prison school, and even enrolled in University where he studied a Business and English degree.
He was said to have had a positive influence on his inmates around him and inspired them through his model behaviour in prison.
Throughout his incarceration, Z expressed deep remorse for his actions, stating that he wished he had never met Ler and knew he had greatly disappointed his family.
His first clemency appeal in 2013 was rejected by President Tony Tan.
However, his second appeal in 2017 gained public attention after testimonies of his reform and maturity.
On November 2nd 2018, President Halimah Yacob granted him clemency on the advice of the Cabinet. Z was released on the same day he was granted clemency after 17 years in prison.
Upon release, Z was placed under strict conditions such as curfew, electronic monitoring and continued rehabilitation supervision to support his reintegration into society.
Till this day, Z’s identity remains protected under a gag order due to his age at the time of the murder.
Psychological Factors of the Case
Manipulation and grooming of a minor
Ler targeted teenage boys and slowly influenced them to commit the crime.
His grooming process was that he didn’t immediately ask them to kill, and instead built up their trust before escalating his requests
Teenagers are more likely to respond to rewards and approvals, especially if it’s from an older figure
In this case, coercive persuasion was used, where Ler used rewards, pressure and emotional influence instead of direct force.
Adolescent brain development and decision-making
The boys involved were only teenagers.
Their prefrontal cortex, responsible for judgment and impulse control, was not fully developed at the time
Their limbic system, responsible for emotion and reward, was more active
This led to the teenagers having poor risk assessment, a greater susceptibility to adult influence, and short-term thinking. This could explain why they were drawn into something so extreme without fully understanding the consequences.
Authority and power imbalance
Ler positioned himself as older, wealthier and more experienced, which created a power hierarchy.
The boys saw him as an authority figure and were more likely to obey his orders without questioning.
This case has links to obedience theory, similar to findings from the Milgram experiments, where people obey authority even when actions are harmful
Timeline
1967
Ler is born in Singapore. He later experiences a troubled childhood after his parents’ divorce.
1995
Ler and Leong get married after dating for 5 years.
October 1999
Leong leaves Ler and moves into her mother’s house with their daughter due to Ler’s affairs and financial problems.
August 2000
Ler attempts suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills after facing bankruptcy from a failed business.
February 2001
Annie files for divorce and custody proceedings begin over their daughter and HDB flat. Ler befriends a group of teenagers and young men at a McDonald’s in Pasir Ris, including 15-year-old “Z”.
May 2001
Ler begins actively asking the boys to kill Leong and conducts “training exercises”.
10-11 May 2001
Z makes 2 failed murder attempts on Leong, mostly due to his refusal to attack Leong in front of her daughter
14 May 2001
Ler and Z rehearse the attack. Later that night, Leong is ambushed outside her mother’s flat and stabbed multiple times by Z.
15 May 2001
Annie Leong dies in hospital from stab wounds to her heart and lungs.
18 May 2001
Z confesses to the murder during police questioning and reveals that Ler orchestrated the killing. Anthony Ler is arrested later that night.
19 November 2001
Ler and Z stand trial together in the High Court of Singapore.
2001
Ler is sentenced to the mandatory death penalty under Penal Code 109 for abetting murder. Z, being 15 years old, is sentenced to detention at the President’s Pleasure.
13 December 2002
Ler is executed by hanging at Changi Prison at age 35.
2 November 2018
President Halimah Yacob grants Z clemency and he is released after serving 17 years in prison.