A Beijing man executed for murdering nine women said he took their lives to avenge the death of his brother, yesterday's Beijing Times revealed.

Song Jinghua, 33, killed his victims because they looked like the ex-girlfriend of his elder brother, who was executed in 1997 for robbing and killing a taxi driver. Song suspected it was the ex-girlfriend who tipped off the police. He had been jailed for six years as an accomplice.

After his release, he began a fruitless search for his brother's ex-girlfriend to take revenge.

In 2005 he became friends with Yan Jinguang and together they robbed and killed the nine women. Song would single out women who looked like his brother's ex-girlfriend and induce them into a car where the victim was strangled and robbed. Song told police he was giving vent to his rage and hatred.

Police said that as the number of victims grew, the pair rented a house in Pinggu District to commit murder and dismember the bodies.

Song was caught in November 2007 after killing a neighbor who saw him trying to hide a human head. Song told police he couldn't control his impulse to kill.

Song and Yan were both put to death on May 27.