Who Was Daniel Lee, The Man Found Dead In A Suitcase In Penang?

By Lara Kramer  •  13 Oct 2025 in News

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When news broke that a man’s body had been found stuffed inside a suitcase behind the Ampang Jajar flats in Butterworth, Penang, the nation reeled.

But beyond the gruesome headlines and crime scene photos was a real person, Daniel Lee Boon Han, 31, a son, friend, and professional whose life was cut short far too soon.

Daniel had told his family he was heading to Perlis for work, a routine trip for the Product Consultant at Moody’s Analytics, whose career in finance had been nothing short of accomplished.

Before joining Moody’s, he had worked as a Business Analyst at AmInvestment Bank Berhad and later as a Senior Manager at RHB Banking Group. A graduate of Sheffield Hallam University, Daniel was described by colleagues as diligent, responsible, and thorough in his work, someone who always followed through.

But beyond the corporate titles and credentials, those who knew Daniel remember him as warm, thoughtful, and effortlessly kind.

“He was friendly, easygoing, and had no enemies. Daniel was a very polite, sincere person, well-liked by everyone,” said Li Zixiong, deputy of the Lee Clan Association’s youth division, who last met Daniel during a Mid-Autumn Festival event just days before his death.

“Two days before the celebration, he gave me a box of mooncakes to wish me a happy festival,” Li recalled. “My family and I still haven’t eaten them.”

Friends describe Daniel as someone who approached life with quiet generosity.

Outside of finance, he was also a freelance photographer known for his versatility in capturing portraits, events, maternity shoots, and even pets.

In 2018, he was among the creative professionals documenting the Wanderers Association Malaysia’s 27th Annual Live Concert at Dewan Sri Penang.

When Daniel’s body was discovered on 9 October, bound, with a deep neck wound and a plastic bag over his head, police immediately classified the case as murder.

Investigators are now determining whether he was killed elsewhere before being placed in the suitcase and left behind the flats.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that police have uncovered a new lead following the discovery of a Toyota Vios, believed to have been driven by Boon Han, about 450 metres from where his remains were found. Forensic teams were seen investigating the car’s location.

His father, who had reported him missing the day before, later identified his son’s body at the Seberang Jaya Hospital Forensic Unit. The deceased was his only child. Grieving and private, the family declined to speak to the media and requested that no photos be taken.

In the wake of his death, social media has filled with tributes from old university friends, colleagues, and photography clients who remember his professionalism, his calm kindness, and the care he brought into every corner of his life.

The police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward. The public can contact the investigating officer, Assistant Superintendent Norhaslinda Rahmat, at 04-576 2222 (ext. 2275) or report to the nearest police station.

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