Rapper detained after model and influencer's death is reclassified as murder

The rapper, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, surrendered to police on Wednesday and is expected to be held in remand for six days, his lawyer confirmed.

The 31-year-old influencer, known online as Nurse Goddess, was found dead in a Kuala Lumpur hotel bathtub on October 22 after arriving two days earlier for a short four-day trip.

Police said Wee was the last person seen with her at the hotel on Jalan Conlay and was also the one who discovered her unresponsive.

Wee, who had been collaborating with Hsieh on a video project, has denied any involvement in her death.

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In an Instagram post from Sunday, the rapper claimed the emergency services’ response was delayed, saying the ambulance arrived “almost an hour late".

He also added that he was “deeply saddened” by Hsieh’s death and insisted he had not “used or carried any drugs", adding that “the truth will come out once the police report is released".

Following his surrender, the 42-year-old said he would “fully cooperate with the police investigation to provide an explanation to the public and the deceased’s family,” stressing, “I will not run away.”

Authorities are awaiting the results of the full post-mortem and toxicology reports before releasing the official cause of Hsieh’s death.

Nicknamed Nurse Goddess due to her nursing past, the influencer had amassed a social media following of over two million fans and charged up to $40 per month in subscriptions for her Only Fans.

Wee was briefly detained and charged for alleged drug possession when police reportedly found MDMA pills in his possession.

He tested positive for amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine and THC, charges he has denied.

Namewee is a controversial figure in Malaysia, known for satirical lyrics and videos addressing politics, race and religion.

He gained attention with his 2007 song Negarakuku, a provocative remake of Malaysia’s national anthem, Negaraku.

In 2016, he was arrested over his music video Oh My God following complaints it was disrespectful to Islam.

In 2021, he released a track with Australian singer Kimberley Chen that mocked Chinese nationalists and touched on sensitive issues including Taiwan’s sovereignty, leading to the pair being banned from entering China and the song being removed from Chinese platforms.