A 31-Year-Old Influencer was Found Dead in a Hotel Bathtub. Police Now Believe She Was Murdered

Malaysian authorities are investigating the death of Taiwanese influencer Hsieh Yu-hsin — known online as Iris Hsieh — who was found dead in a hotel bathtub in Kuala Lumpur.

The 31-year-old social media personality, who had over 546,000 Instagram followers, was discovered around 1:40 p.m. local time on Oct. 22, according to The Star. The hotel is located on Jalan Conlay, a major street in Malaysia’s capital, New Straits Times reported.

Police initially treated the case as a sudden death but have since reclassified it as a murder investigation, local police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus confirmed.

Malaysian rapper Namewee (real name Wee Meng Chee), 42, was reportedly the last person seen with Hsieh. The Star said he had been in the same hotel room as the victim at the time of the incident. Multiple outlets, including the BBC, reported that Namewee was charged with drug possession and use following the discovery.

Officer Fadil stated that the musician “was later arrested for alleged possession and use of drugs but was released after pleading not guilty to drug-related charges at the Jalan Duta Court on Oct. 24,” according to The Star.

The BBC reported that Namewee was detained on Oct. 22 after police allegedly found pills believed to be ecstasy. Tests later indicated traces of amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine, and THC. He was held for two days before being released.

Namewee later denied taking drugs, sharing a translated statement on Instagram in which he said, “at most I’ve been drinking more recently.” He expressed sorrow over Hsieh’s death and claimed that the ambulance “was nearly an hour late,” adding that “the truth will come out” once the official report is released, which “should still take two or three months.”

Officer Fadil said police have taken statements from hotel staff, security guards, and transport operators, and are reviewing CCTV footage to trace Hsieh’s final movements. “Investigations are ongoing from all angles, including individuals who were last with the victim,” he noted. “We will review all movements of both the victim and the suspect to determine whether he is a suspect.”

The Royal Malaysia Police have not yet released further information, and attempts to contact Namewee for comment have been unsuccessful.