Killer could have struck before at brothel in city
Similarity between murder and previous attack
ABRUTAL killer who stabbed a man to death in Digbeth may have struck before at a city brothel, a Birmingham Post investigation can reveal.
Jinming Zhang, 41, was knifed to death at a flat on February 9 in a chilling incident in which a woman was also threatened.
His masked killer has not been caught but police released CCTV of a prime suspect walking casually away from the scene.
Community sources have told the Post that Chinese national Mr Zhang was running a brothel when he was killed and had links to a Chinese crime gang.
And the Post has discovered a strikingly similar attack took place months earlier in nearby Edgbaston.
It took place at a city centre flat on Pershore Road which locals claim was also being run as a brothel.
Like Mr Zhang, the victim of the Edgbaston incident on October 23 was stabbed multiple times, according
to community sources, but survived. He was also a Chinese national like Mr Zhang.
Locals have claimed that the Edgbaston flat was being used as a brothel for the past year and a half.
One said: “It was known in the area that it was being used as a brothel. Customers were coming and going and would wait outside to be let in.”
West Midlands Police confirmed that a man had been taken to hospital with stab wounds from flats in Pershore Road on October 23 last year. His attacker remains at large.
“Fortunately, his injuries were not life threatening, although serious. No arrests have been made to date,” said a police spokeswoman.
Like the suspect being sought in connection with Mr Zhang’s murder, the attacker in the October incident in Edgbaston is described as black, in his 30s.
He was also wearing dark clothing, police confirmed.
Following our approach, Detective Inspector Jim Mahon, from the Homicide Unit, confirmed: “We have considered similarities in this incident to the attack on 41-year-old Jinming Zhang, who was murdered in a flat on Moseley Road, Digbeth on February 9 and we cannot rule out the possibility that they could be linked.
“Our quest to find Mr Zhang’s killer is very much ongoing and a Crimestoppers reward of up to
£20,000 is offered for information leading his arrest.”
We have spoken to multiple community sources who talked to us on
strict conditions of anonymity. They expressed fears that the two attacks could be linked and that the same man was responsible.