close
close

A man will go on trial on Wednesday for raping and killing a hotel owner

A man accused of a “heinous” rape and murder is expected in court on Wednesday.

Arthur Scott Jr. was charged Monday with aggravated murder, aggravated burglary, kidnapping, rape and strangulation.

He is accused of killing 61-year-old Li-Chu Lin at a hotel north of Columbus on April 26. Scott was arrested the next day.

Li-Chu Lin and her husband own the hotel on Zumstein Drive.

At his initial arraignment in Municipal Court on April 30, investigators said Scott was captured on video checking hotel room doors, looking for a door that would unlock.

The video showed Scott entering a room and Lin walking in shortly after. Court documents accuse Scott of physically assaulting Lin multiple times, and investigators said she was also sexually assaulted.

“I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so heinous in my time in office,” the municipal court judge said last week during Scott’s first court appearance.

In the case, audio recordings of an emergency call were also released.

“My aunt died,” a loved one told dispatchers, “I don’t know, I think someone hit her, I need help please!”

At that first court appearance, Lin’s husband told the judge that Scott had deprived his family of the American dream.

“There is no commitment high enough,” her husband said. “We have to protect our citizens.”

Lin’s husband added that they came to the United States seeking a better life, but that was immediately taken away from them.