BEIJING — The case of a Peking University economics student wanted by police on suspicion he killed his mother has prompted a debate about the moral education of China’s students and how universities are run.

Middle school educator Xie Tianqin was found dead at the teacher dormitory where she lived in Fuzhou, in the eastern province of Fujian, on Feb 14, according to a police notice circulating online. The notice said her 22-year-old son, Mr Wu Xieyu, is a prime suspect in her death and he “had fled for fear of being punished”.

A person with knowledge of the investigation confirmed the notice is authentic. Police have not said when or how Xie was killed, but the source told Caixin that the death likely occurred in early July last year.

Police checked payment records on Mr Wu’s smartphone and found that he bought knives, waterproof cloths and doctors’ coats from online stores in June 2015, said the source.

In July, probably after the killing, he purchased activated carbon and large plastic sheets, said the source. Xie’s body was found wrapped in plastic sheets with activated carbon tucked into them, apparently to lessen any odour. The room was sealed to prevent odour from escaping, said the person close to the probe. Surveillance cameras believed to be linked to Mr Wu’s phone were installed in the room.

Mr Wu apparently faked a resignation letter by his mother and sent it to her school, said the source. He then borrowed 1.44 million yuan (S$306,000) from relatives by sending messages from Xie’s smartphone. Mr Wu told them the family needed the money to move to the United States.

Xie’s body was finally found when a relative came to the dormitory to visit her, according to the source.

Mr Wu was accepted into Peking University, one of China’s most prestigious, in 2012. He won scholarships there and was preparing for graduate school in the US, said his classmates.

The case surprised Mr Wu’s classmates, who described him as friendly and warm-hearted. “There was no trace of him acting abnormally,” said one of them. Some Internet users said the case is a sign that China’s students focus too much on doing well on tests and not enough on moral education.

“The bloody case again reflects a lack of moral education in universities,” wrote one on a microblog. “Not only does some student at Peking University have serious problems with his morals, but also there is no doubt Peking University’s education is insufficient.”

Others said colleges should do more to address mental health issues. “When talking about Peking University, people always think students are favoured by God and have tremendous talent, but they forget they are just ordinary people who happen to do well at school,” said one Web user. “They’re limited and confused too.”

Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference member Ren Fang, whose organisation is China’s top political advisory body, told state media on Tuesday news organisations should not make too much of the case, but said colleges should strengthen their mental health counselling programmes.

Some Web users also said Peking University should bear some responsibility in the case. A classmate of Mr Wu’s told Caixin that he missed some of his final exams and had disappeared from campus in September.

Said another Internet user: “He didn’t take exams and teachers didn’t investigate? Did he register for the new semester? If he didn’t, did the school look for him?”

The university said on Sina Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, on March 3, that it is cooperating with the probe.

Calls to Peking University’s School of Economics were not answered. CAIXIN ONLINE