Influencer Found Dead in Hotel Bathtub, Malaysian Police Reclassify the Case as Murder

04 November 2025

Iris Hsieh (left) Namewee (right)

Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh who amassed over half‐a-million followers was discovered unresponsive in a bathtub at a Kuala Lumpur hotel on October 22. Initially treated as a sudden death, authorities have since reclassified the investigation as a murder.

According to a statement from Malaysian police chief Fadil Marsus, the 31‐year-old’s body was found around 1:40 p.m. in a hotel on Jalan Conlay, and after a review of evidence the death has been logged as suspicious under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

The emerging inquiry centres on Malaysian rapper Namewee (real name Wee Meng Chee), who reportedly was the last person seen with Hsieh and was later arrested for alleged drug possession the same day her body was discovered. He tested positive for several substances including amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine and THC, though he has denied using drugs and issued a social-media apology for the tragedy.

Investigators say they are interviewing hotel staff, reviewing CCTV footage and tracing both Hsieh’s and Namewee’s movements to determine the events preceding her death. At this stage the rapper is considered a person of interest rather than a charged suspect, as police continue to build their case.

The case raises broader concerns over the safety of influencers and creators who travel internationally for brand deals and content creation. Hsieh, who worked across Taiwanese and Malaysian markets and posted lifestyle, fashion and travel content, had apparently been meeting Namewee for a possible film or music-video collaboration when she checked into the hotel. The shift from “sudden death” to “murder investigation” underscores how quickly circumstances can escalate and how little is known about what happened inside that hotel room.

For Hsieh’s family and fan base the reclassification is a bittersweet step the truth is now being pursued more aggressively, but the harrowing reality that their loved one likely did not die of natural causes adds another layer of grief and uncertainty. Authorities caution that as of now no formal charges have been filed in the murder investigation, and the case remains under active development.

Regardless of the ultimate outcome, this investigation shines a spotlight on the pressures and hidden risks tied to influencer lifestyles. Frequent travel, informal business arrangements, late-night meetings and collaborations introduce vulnerabilities that traditional professions rarely confront. For audiences the tragedy blurs the line between curated social-media-presence and real-world danger.

As the police claim momentum is building hotel workers have been questioned, transport and airport logs scrutinised the broader question remains: what led to her death in that bathtub? The answer may reveal not only acts of wrongdoing but also the systemic risks for young creators navigating fame, travel and sponsorships.