Shi Yuejun was born on March 5, 1971, in Liuhe County, located in Jilin Province, China. He lived in Tonggou Village, under Liunan Township, where he worked as a local butcher. His early life was relatively obscure, with few public details available about his upbringing. However, people who knew Shi described him as introverted, socially withdrawn, and someone who harbored grudges for long periods.

Shi was married, but even his wife acknowledged that he struggled with interpersonal relationships and exhibited a tendency to brood after disagreements. This internalized frustration, compounded by feelings of social rejection and professional setbacks, appeared to be the foundation for his later psychological instability.

In the months leading up to the killings, Shi’s behavior raised concern. His mood appeared volatile, prompting him to seek psychiatric treatment in Tonghua, a nearby city. The treatment seemed to help initially, and he even took short leisure trips with his wife to Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou.

Between September 24 and September 29, 2006, Shi Yuejun committed one of the deadliest sprees in modern Chinese history. Over the course of six days, he murdered 12 people and injured five others across multiple towns and villages in Liuhe County and Tonghua County, Jilin Province.

His violent rampage began on the morning of September 24, when he drove to Ermi in Tonghua County. His first target was Li Zhenjun, whom he killed at home. He then murdered Wang Yuliang, a health inspector who had once penalized him, along with Wang’s wife, his father, and his mother. Shi wounded Wang Yuhong, the inspector’s brother, who tried to intervene with a shovel but was stabbed in the abdomen.

Later that same day, Shi drove to Liunan Township, where he murdered Liu Guohua, a shop owner who had previously refused to sell Shi’s meat. He also stabbed Liu’s wife, Cao Deqin, and Wang Gang, a man who had underpaid him for work.

Shi’s next stop was Sanyuanpu, where he killed Yu Hongyong, a slaughterhouse supervisor who had punished him in the past. He also stabbed Yu’s wife, Xie Hongyan, before fleeing the scene.

At this point, the police had begun to piece together the scale of the attacks. Authorities launched a manhunt, setting up roadblocks and offering a ¥100,000 reward for tips. The Ministry of Public Security issued a Class-A warrant and launched an unprecedented mobilization involving 2,000 police officers and 12,000 local militia and volunteers.

But Shi was not finished.

On September 27, Shi located Sun Honglian and his wife, Liu Jifen, who lived in a remote mountain area near Tonggou Village. He murdered both and again escaped, even as security forces flooded the area.

On the morning of September 29, Shi killed Zhao Yufu, his wife Guan Xiumei, and Zhao Jinkai, in Lujiabao Village. He also wounded Liu Jinping, another local resident. By this point, panic had gripped local communities, and the manhunt intensified.

Later that day, around noon, Shi was finally captured in a cornfield near Liunan Township. His arrest was the result of coordination between police, local militias, and citizens. He was brought to Changchun, where he confessed to the crimes. His motive, he claimed, was revenge for the social humiliations and injustices he believed he had suffered throughout his life.

The victims of his killing spree included government officials, former employers, community members, and innocent bystanders. His violent acts were described by authorities as calculated, personal, and deeply rooted in resentment. He used knives in all of the murders, consistent with his profession as a butcher.

On November 25, 2006, after pleading guilty, Shi Yuejun was convicted of intentional homicide and sentenced to death. He did not appeal the verdict. Less than a month later, on December 20, 2006, he was executed by firing squad.