Crazy that your life can go upside down for a murder you didn't commit

‘Murdered’ man reappears after 10 years: Questions raised about how police extracted confession from alleged killer

The imprisoned Zhao's brother told the local Dahe Newspaper that police had forced him to drink chili water and set off fireworks over his head to force the confession.

The imprisoned Zhao narrowly escaped being executed for the crime. His sentence was commuted from a death penalty with two years' reprieve.

While in prison, his wife left him for another man and three of his four children were given to other families for adoption, the China Daily said.