A murder suspect who fled to China got stuck in a COVID-19 quarantine, setting himself up for easy capture by authorities

• A murder suspect who fled to China from Taiwan is now trapped in a hotel quarantine.
• The suspect, surnamed Huang, shot a 45-year-old man to death early on Monday in New Taipei City.

A murder suspect who fled to China from Taiwan is now trapped in a hotel quarantine due to COVID-19 protocols, setting himself up for easy capture by authorities.

The suspect, surnamed Huang, allegedly shot a 45-year-old man to death early on Monday in New Taipei City, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA), per Focus Taiwan.

Huang, who is in his 30s, is said to have fled the scene in a silver car, which was abandoned in the parking lot of a shopping mall, according to CNA.

After changing his clothes twice and taking different modes of transportation to reach Taoyuan International Airport to cover his tracks, he boarded a plane for mainland China, the report said.

But his escape was foiled.

According to China Highlights, anybody entering China must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at a government-assigned hotel. Passengers are taken directly from their flights to the accommodation.

Huang is now understood to be in quarantine at a hotel in the coastal city of Xiamen, CNA reported.

The story of the murder suspect's bungled attempt to evade justice has gone viral in China with two related hashtags on Weibo, a Chinese version of Twitter, attracting 300 million views,

"(He) can escape arrest by Taiwanese police, but he can't escape the mainland's epidemic prevention and control measures," said a top comment on Weibo, reported CNN.

Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau told CNN Thursday that Taiwanese law enforcement agents have sought help from their Chinese counterparts to return the Huang to the island.

China's Ministry of Public Security has received an extradition request from Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau, though it is unclear if there has yet been any progress, reports CNN.

On Tuesday, Xindian police said, according to Focus Taiwan, that a pistol with a bullet in its chamber had been recovered from a ditch outside Taoyuan International Airport, likely to be used by Huang in the shooting.

According to Xindian police, the motive behind the crime remains unknown and is still being investigated.