Casefile True Crime - Case 149: Anan Liu

Episode Date: July 11, 2020

On the morning of September 15 2007, an elderly couple were walking through Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station when they noticed a young Asian girl standing alone near the escalator. Assuming she was lost, police were quickly notified and attempted to identify the toddler. Unable to verify who she was, they nicknamed her “Pumpkin.” --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Researched by Holly Boyd Written by Erin Munro Creative Director: Milly Raso For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-149-anan-liu

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. Southern Cross Station is the second busiest railway station in Melbourne, with more than nine million passenger movements recorded between 2007 and 2008. As well as being served by the city's suburban train services, Southern Cross is the terminus for the State of Victoria's Regional Rail Network.

A shopping complex adjoins the station, and underneath is a coach terminal providing buses to interstate and regional destinations, as well as the Skybus shuttle service that travels to Melbourne's Tullamareen Airport. For security purposes, a number of closed-circuit television cameras are placed at strategic locations throughout. On Saturday, September 15, 2007, just after 10am, an elderly Chinese couple were walking through Southern Cross Station when they noticed a female toddler standing alone near the escalator.

She was of Asian appearance and looked to be around three years old. She had short dark hair cut in a bob and wore a red denim hooded jacket, an aqua-coloured vest with a red and pink diamond pattern, and bright pink corduroy pants. Thinking the toddler might have been lost, the couple approached and attempted to speak to her. When she didn't respond, they beckoned a Victoria Rail employee named Marino Michuglu over to see if he could help. While trying to speak with the child, Marino patted her on the head and immediately noticed

that her hair was very greasy as though it hadn't been washed in some time. There was no sign of any frantic parents looking for their lost child, so Marino decided to summon police to the scene. Responding officers also attempted to communicate with the child, but she was either unwilling or unable to tell them her name. Knowing that the vest she was wearing was made by a popular children's clothing brand called Pumpkin Patch, they decided to nickname her Pumpkin until a proper identification could be made.

The girl's clothing provided no real clue to her identity, as although the Pumpkin Patch brand was based in New Zealand, it was sold widely throughout Australia. On her unwashed hair, Pumpkin appeared to be a healthy, well cared for child who was appropriately dressed in clean clothing. The police took her into their care, hoping she was merely lost and her parents would soon come forward to claim her. When no one did, they scoured CCTV footage from Southern Cross Station and quickly realized that Pumpkin had been deliberately abandoned.

At 10am on Saturday, September 15, 2007, the Southern Cross security cameras had captured Pumpkin as she walked through the station's street level lobby, hand in hand with a middle-aged, dark-haired man of Asian appearance. The man was dressed in black trousers and a grey suit jacket, and was pulling a small suitcase on wheels in his left hand. When the pair reached the base of an escalator that led to the upper floor, the man seemingly instructed Pumpkin to remain where she was, before stepping onto the escalator alone. Upon reaching the first floor, he glanced back briefly, then continued striding purposefully

ahead. The young child remained standing all by herself at the base of the escalator, barely moving, as though she was trying her best to stay still. After viewing the footage, multilingual staff from Victoria Police attempted to converse with Pumpkin, and a number of different interpreters were summoned, but none succeeded in communicating with her. The following day of Sunday, September 16, the Department of Human Services arranged for Pumpkin to be placed with an emergency foster family.

That same day, the police shared the CCTV footage as part of a public appeal for the girl's parents, extended family members, or anyone who recognized her to come forward. They reported that although Pumpkin had been through a considerable ordeal and wasn't speaking to anybody, she had appeared happy and perky overnight. Media outlets soon started sharing Pumpkin's story in an effort to discover who she was and why she had been separated from her family. Members of the public immediately began contacting Victoria Police to say that they recognized the pair, with a number of calls coming from the neighboring country of New Zealand.

The callers believed the man captured on camera was Nguyen Xue, a 53-year-old martial arts instructor and prominent member of the Chinese community from Auckland, New Zealand. The girl he had abandoned was believed to be his three-year-old daughter, Chen Xun Xue. One individual reported seeing the father and daughter while on board a flight from Auckland to Melbourne several days earlier, on Thursday, September 13. They obtained the flight's passenger manifest and examined the list of individuals who had been on board. Based on this information, they confirmed that Pumpkin was in fact Chen Xun Xue and

the man was her father, Nguyen Xue. Further inquiries revealed that upon landing in Melbourne, Xue had told custom agents that he and his daughter were visiting the city for a holiday. However, later that evening when they checked in at a hotel, Xue told the hotel's porter that he was permanently relocating to Melbourne. He had even inquired about the best area to live and where to purchase a car. The following morning of Friday, September 14, Xue had visited a travel agency in Melbourne's Central Business District and attempted to book a flight to the US city of Los Angeles

that evening. When the travel agent informed him there weren't any direct flights available, Xue queried about connecting flights from other locations before settling on a direct flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles scheduled for the following day. Approximately 24 hours later, he abandoned Chen Xun at Southern Cross Station and made his way to Melbourne Airport. There, after he successfully passed through a security checkpoint, CCTV cameras caught him smiling widely and flashing two thumbs up.

By the end of Sunday, September 16, police had solved the mystery of Chen Xun's identity, but two new questions had sprung up in its place. They now had to figure out why Nguyen Xue had left his daughter alone at a busy railway station and the whereabouts of his wife and Chen Xun's mother, 28-year-old Anen Liao. Based on the evidence uncovered so far, there was no indication she had travelled to Melbourne with her family. Anen Liao was born on February 20, 1979 in Chauncha, the capital city of China's Hunan province.

She was the only child to prosperous parents and grew up to have a range of interests, including reading, listening to music, singing karaoke, and watching films. Her all-time favourite movie was Chinese Odyssey, a 1995 two-part feature based on a classic 16th century novel set during the Ming dynasty. As well as having an interest in pop culture, Anen was an active person who played badminton and enjoyed going out driving. Having lived her entire life in a bustling, popular city, Anen often dreamed of visiting an idyllic island or forest and also hoped to move overseas one day.

In April 2002, at the age of 23, she achieved both goals by moving to New Zealand, a small island country renowned for its striking natural beauty. Anen had applied for a student visa to study English and she set herself up in the city of Auckland on the country's North Island. At the time, Auckland was home to a rapidly growing Chinese community, but its insularity and disconnection from New Zealand's broader population meant that many new arrivals battled with feelings of isolation. People like Anen, who had difficulty speaking English, struggled even more.

Although she was happy to be in New Zealand, Anen often felt lonely in her new home. She initially moved in with another woman, but in early 2003, she began renting a room at the home of Nain Shwey, who was aged in his late 40s at the time. Shwey was born in 1954 in the city of Te Ling in northeast China. During early adulthood, he worked as a middle school physical education teacher and lived for a time in Los Angeles. He eventually returned to China where he married his first wife and in 1981, the two had a daughter they named Grace.

10 years later, Shwey immigrated to New Zealand alone, leaving his family behind. Shwey had a passion for martial arts and was convinced that it was his destiny to share his unique blend of kung fu and tai chi with others around the world. After moving to Auckland, Shwey began holding martial arts classes in a Chinese restaurant, where he predominantly taught Wu style tai chi. His program was a success and he soon upgraded to a larger venue in Auckland's central business district, before eventually relocating his school to a sprawling parkland in the inner city suburb of Epsom.

He told his students he had learned his martial arts skills from a man with a long white beard whom he had encountered when playing in the mountains as a child. The fairytale-like story was eventually published in local Chinese-language newspapers, drawing more students and increasing Shwey's business. Within a few years of arriving in New Zealand, Shwey obtained citizenship and became something of a local celebrity in Auckland's Chinese community. In 1998, he further enhanced his own mythos by self-publishing an autobiography titled The Pearl of Wu Style Tai Chi.

In the book, Shwey claimed to have been conceived by magic. Before he was born, his aging, childless mother allegedly went to a temple to pray for a son. While there, she had a vision in which an elderly man told her she would have a baby boy who would grow up to be a great and successful man. Shortly afterwards, she became pregnant. In early 2003, Shwey took Annen into his home as a border on the condition that she cleaned the house in exchange for her room. Shortly into this arrangement, Annen confided that her student visa was due to expire.

She wanted to stay in New Zealand but couldn't afford the tuition fees required to continue studying and therefore wouldn't be able to renew her visa. Shwey was aware that marrying a New Zealand citizen would be an alternative way for Annen to remain in the country and suddenly proposed to her in a roundabout fashion by asking, What about me? Even though there was a 25-year age difference between the two, Annen felt she didn't have any other options if she wanted to stay in New Zealand. She agreed to marry Shwey, believing that his many accomplishments and high standing

in the community were worthy qualities in her husband. The pair began a romantic relationship and on July 28, 2003, they were married at an Auckland registry office. On the day of their wedding, Annen was already four months pregnant with their first child. In September 2003, Annen applied for New Zealand residency. Three months later, on December 22, she gave birth to Chen Shun. Shwey was reportedly disappointed that the baby wasn't a boy but Annen adored her and the mother and daughter became inseparable.

To those who knew Annen, it made no sense that she would stay in New Zealand while her husband took their daughter to a foreign country. On Monday, September 17, 2007, the day after Victoria police confirmed Chen Shun's identity, she finally spoke her first words to authorities by asking for her mother. Victoria police had been in touch with their counterparts in Auckland who said about trying to contact Annen Leal. Her mobile phone was switched off so they headed to the family's residence, a white weatherboard house on Keystone Avenue in the southwestern suburb of Mount Roscoe.

The police found no sign of Annen at the property, nor was her vehicle there, but Shwey's Honda Rafaga sedan was parked out the front. Police also checked Annen's bank accounts and discovered there had been no activity since Monday, September 10, 2007. On Tuesday, September 18, investigators publicly urged Shwey to contact law enforcement. They confirmed they were working to track him down with the International Criminal Police Organization, better known as Interpol, and openly labelled his fleeing with Chen Shun as a kidnapping.

That same day, police found Annen's car parked at Auckland's International Airport, though they were certain she hadn't left the country. CCTV cameras at the airport had captured Shwey and Chen Shun checking in and proceeding through customs, but there was no evidence to indicate that Annen had ever been there. The police returned to the family's Mount Roscoe home and cordoned it off in anticipation of a forensic examination. At nine o'clock that night, a search warrant was issued for the property and for Shwey's vehicle.

Investigators examined the residents more closely, but found nothing of note. Shwey's car was towed to a secure location and given a preliminary examination, but nothing of interest was found. A more thorough search was scheduled for the following day. On Wednesday, September 19, additional police officers in Auckland were briefed on the case and at 1pm, an extensive forensic search of Shwey's Honda Rafaga commenced. Once investigators gained access to the car, they opened its boot and immediately made a shocking discovery.

Inside, was the body of a young woman of Chinese ethnicity, covered with a dressing gown. Beneath the gown, the woman was naked except for a pair of gloves. A yellow necktie was wrapped around her throat and red women's underwear and a jacket were found lying next to her body. And one of the jacket's pockets were two men's rings, one of which was a wedding band. The body was positively identified as Annen Leal and an autopsy was carried out the following morning. It was determined that Annen had been strangled to death with the yellow tie, most likely

as the killer stood behind her. She had been wearing a pendant around her neck, which had compounded the strangulation. At approximately 3 o'clock that afternoon, the police publicly confirmed that Annen's body had been found. They withheld the cause of her death, but noted it had occurred following a violent incident and that Annen's husband, Nguyen Shwey, was the prime suspect. As the police had taken two days to discover Annen's body, which had been inside her husband's car parked outside their home, some criticized the Auckland police for what they perceived

as an unnecessarily slow response. A former high-ranking officer told the media the delay was, quote, absolutely appalling and noted it was possible that Annen may have still been alive when she was first placed in the car's boot. While New Zealand's police commissioner Howard Broad admitted that the officers didn't initially believe the car to be of any importance, the Auckland police defended their actions. Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Scott, who was heading the case, clarified that the delay was due to having to wait for the proper search warrant.

He explained, quote, We haven't had the keys for that vehicle, it's just not a matter of breaking the windows and getting in. These things don't take minutes, they could take days or weeks. Many of the family's acquaintances told investigators that Annen and Shwey had appeared content and well-adjusted. They described Annen as a kind but quiet person who embraced motherhood and helped her husband by driving him to and from work each day.

However, others had their doubts about the couple's relationship. A friend of Shwey's told investigators he suspected the marriage wasn't based on love but was rather transactional in nature. Shwey had been attracted to Annen's youth and beauty while she had seen him as a means to stay in New Zealand. Shwey's friend believed that the significant age difference between the couple ensured marital problems were inevitable. A male neighbor told a journalist for the New Zealand Herald newspaper that Annen was

friendly and would often say hello. In contrast, Shwey didn't speak to his neighbors and appeared, quote, a bit kooky, often collecting the mail dressed only in his underwear. It was also revealed that during a trip to China to visit her family with Chen Shun, Annen had an intrauterine contraceptive device inserted to prevent any future pregnancies. Once she obtained New Zealand residency in December 2005, she refused to continue sharing a bed with Shwey. It also came to light that in March 2006, a film student and martial arts enthusiast

named Shia Hong had made a nine-minute documentary about Shwey, titled Kung Fu Father. It was supervised by a filmmaker named Tony Wright, and portions of the documentary were filmed in Shwey and Annen's home. Tony told journalists that during filming, he had observed that the walls of the home were decorated with large posters of Shwey demonstrating martial arts poses, rather than with family photographs. A translator had been present on set, who communicated to Tony that Shwey didn't want him to speak to his wife.

Overall, Tony told journalists that he felt the couple's relationship was one in which, quote, he talked and she listened. Throughout filming, Shwey boasted about his career and claimed to be revered by 40,000 martial arts enthusiasts who were predominantly based in the United States. At one point, he broke down when discussing his daughter from his first marriage, Grace. In the year 2000, when Grace was 19, Shwey had sponsored her to join him in New Zealand. But in 2002, she had run away because he was a neglectful father. Addressing Grace directly, Shwey stated to the camera,

I lost you. I feel such guilt. I put my career first. I was selfish. Daughter, please come back. Give me a chance to remedy those things that Papa did wrong. Saying that he wanted to be a better father to Chen Chun, he stated, My role now is to give this baby more father's love.

Filmmaker Tony Wright told the press that he believed Shwey's tears were false and that the scene had been a hollow performance. Despite Shwey's standing as one of New Zealand's premier martial arts experts, his reputation had been unraveling for some time. In the early 2000s, a group from Auckland's Chinese community had visited a martial arts association in Beijing where Shwey claimed to have trained to become a Tai Chi master. However, the association revealed this was a lie. Shwey had also created discord in Los Angeles where he had lived briefly before immigrating

to New Zealand. According to the owner of the Tai Chi Academy of Los Angeles, Shwey had been ostracised by the city's Chinese community after he launched scathing attacks on other Tai Chi teachers from around the world. It was also revealed that he had lied about his qualifications. It was around the same time that Shwey's professional reputation was being questioned that his relationship with Annen became increasingly controlling. People outside their marriage noticed signs of domestic violence with one of Shwey's

students observing that he often ordered Annen out of the room when he had guests. On two occasions, the student also noticed that Annen's face was bruised and grazed. A longtime friend of Annen's family had witnessed Shwey exhibit explosive rage towards Annen and believed that she bore, quote, the brunt of much of his disappointment in life. On September 20, 2006, one year before Chen Shun was abandoned at Southern Cross Station, Shwey had committed a particularly violent attack against Annen. The couple were arguing about money when Shwey suddenly threw a telephone at Annen who was holding Chen Shun at the time.

Annen attempted to shield her daughter from the phone, but it wound up striking the toddler in the head, leaving a small cut and swelling. Shwey then ran towards Annen, who was still holding Chen Shun, and punched her several times in the head. He then held a 30-centimeter long knife to her stomach and stated, quote, I treat you good and you don't treat me very well. I love you, but you don't love me. I am going to kill you.

Annen begged for her life and threw money at Shwey in an attempt to placate him before fleeing the house with Chen Shun. She reported the assault to the police, and a government agency called Child Youth and Family became involved. On September 29, 2006, a temporary protection order was issued against Shwey, and a permanent protection order was finalized three months later. This order gave Annen full custody of Chen Shun and stipulated that Shwey was only permitted to see his daughter if Annen initiated contact.

He was also required to complete a course to help him stop his violent behavior. Annen and Chen Shun sought safety at a women's refuge, where they stayed for around one month. Another woman who had been at the refuge recalled how Annen had arrived blackened and bruised with nowhere else to go. Shwey frequently flouted the protection order by driving near the refuge and attempting to contact Annen. She grew so fearful of her husband that she brought a scheduled trip to China forward by three weeks.

She even contacted the airline to request they not reveal her plans to Shwey. Two days later, Shwey had called the airline demanding to know Annen's flight details, but failed to obtain them. Annen and Chen Shun stayed in China for three months. The two had previously visited family there on several occasions, but Shwey had never joined them. He was only one year younger than Annen's mother, which was considered shameful. Being a private and reserved person, Annen didn't confide in her relatives about the

abuse she was suffering. On February 26, 2007, she and Chen Shun returned to New Zealand and resumed occasional contact with Shwey. Shwey was eager to improve his reputation after rumors had spread about his martial arts career, and in early 2007, he acquired ownership of a Chinese-language newspaper called Chinese Times. Annen was a talented writer, and Shwey offered her a role as a reporter, with some acquaintances speculating that he used the publication to lure Annen back into his life.

Shwey attempted to restyle himself as an important media figure in Auckland's Chinese community, but his newspaper struggled to generate income and wasn't particularly successful. He prioritized advertising revenue over quality journalism, and continually lowered the cost of placing ads in his paper in order to attract more clients. On June 20, 2007, nine months after the attack on his family, Shwey finally fronted the Family Violence Court in Auckland. He pleaded guilty to charges of assault against Annen and Chen Shun, and to using threatening words against Annen.

The probation service recommended that Shwey be jailed, but Judge Phil Recordon ordered a one-year suspended sentence instead, thus releasing Shwey back home. Annen and Chen Shun were provided with no further protection or support. Earlier that month, Annen and Chen Shun flew to New Zealand's capital city of Wellington, located 642 kilometres south of Auckland. While Annen's reasons for doing so aren't entirely known, it has been speculated that she was attempting to escape her husband. Once in Wellington, the mother and daughter bordered at the home of a truck driver named

Wei Hong Song. Being miserable and isolated, Annen began keeping a blog as a way to express her feelings. The first entry was dated July 12, 2007 and was written in Mandarin. An excerpt read, Can't find someone to love, and can't find someone to love me. What meaning is there to go on living? To live is to continue suffering. Eager to find love, Annen signed up to several dating websites.

In her profiles, she stated she was seeking friendship and true love in what she called a hard, uncontrollable and lonely life. She soon commenced a two-month fling with a 39-year-old married artist whose wife was away. On August 18, 2007, the relationship ended when the man's wife returned. Annen later wrote about her heartbreak on her blog, saying, I have to escape from this love, because if I can't get the whole thing, I'd rather have nothing.

It's really painful for me. I cried. But there is a kind of love called letting go, letting go forever. I don't want to hurt another innocent. That's why I'd rather hurt myself. At one point, Shuei arrived in Wellington unannounced, having pursued his wife and daughter all the way from Auckland. And with a torch and a small axe, he broke into the house they were staying at.

Annen and Chen Shun weren't home at the time, but the owner, Wei Hong Song, was. Wei Hong grabbed a gun and managed to chase Shuei from his home. Later, Shuei told a friend that he had intended to force Annen back to Auckland and that she was lucky he hadn't found her, as he might have killed her if he did. Fearing Shuei would be able to find her and Chen Shun wherever they went, Annen thought it might be safer if they simply all lived under the same roof. In August 2007, one month before her body was recovered, she decided to return to Auckland to resume living with Shuei.

Investigators discovered Annen's final blog entry, which was written at around midnight on Monday, September 10, 2007. It read, Living in this world, a lot of the time we live in difficulty and loneliness. If the conclusion of happiness must always be pain, I would rather I am lonely and help less. If a happy start has to end with pain, I rather I never had happiness. Therefore, I won't need to remember those happy moments and those painful experiences.

Investigators pieced together Annen's last known movements and discovered that her neighbors recalled last seeing her between 4 and 5pm on Tuesday, September 11. At 6.45pm that same evening, she was witnessed buying groceries at a nearby supermarket, marking the final time anyone outside of her family saw her alive. The following day of Wednesday, September 12, Shuei's newspaper, Chinese Times, was scheduled to run an edition, but Shuei made excuses to his employees as to why they couldn't publish. That same day, he ate lunch at a restaurant called Loverdark, where owner Raymond Tang

noted that Shuei appeared calm throughout his meal. Annen's mother, Xiaoping Liu, had been calling her daughter's mobile phone since the day prior, but with no response. At some point during Wednesday, Shuei finally answered. They explained that Annen and Chen Shun had gone to Wellington and would be back on Sunday, September 16. Just before 9am on Thursday, September 13, Shuei left his house with Chen Shun and drove Annen's car approximately 10km northwest to the Henderson police station.

There, his passport and a ceremonial Tai Chi sword were being held pending the outcome of his assault charges. As Shuei had since been given a suspended sentence, he was able to reclaim these possessions. At 11am, Shuei visited a travel agency and purchased a return flight to Melbourne for himself. He then withdrew $6,445 in cash and emptied his safety deposit box. Once again, he ate lunch at Loverdark before returning to the travel agency and purchasing a return flight to Melbourne for Chen Shun.

That afternoon, Shuei drove himself and Chen Shun to Auckland's International Airport in Annen's car. Investigators obtained CCTV footage which had captured the father and daughter as they checked in and went through customs. They had arrived in Melbourne at 7.40pm on Thursday, September 13, more than 48 hours after Annen was last seen alive. At the time, the protection order issued against Shuei was still in place, meaning he wasn't permitted to have custody of Chen Shun.

According to the officer in charge of Auckland Airport, Inspector Richard Middleton, a stringent system was in place to prevent an individual involved in a court custody order from leaving the country with the child. However, no such alert appeared when Shuei left New Zealand with Chen Shun. Staff from the police, customs and Ministry of Justice were unable to explain how Shuei was able to exit the country with his daughter. Grace, Shuei's 26-year-old daughter from his first marriage, was still living in Auckland, less than two kilometres from her father's home.

She maintained no contact with him, as Shuei's claim that Grace had run away after he sponsored her to move to New Zealand was false. The truth was that two months after her arrival, Shuei had travelled to Los Angeles, leaving the then 19-year-old alone to fend for herself in a foreign country where she couldn't speak the language. Grace had begged her father for financial support, but he had refused. To get by, she managed to find work in fast food restaurants before eventually meeting a New Zealander named Shane and completing a financial degree at the University of Auckland.

She and Shane then married and had a baby boy. In July of 2007, Grace and Shane had seen Shuei at a local restaurant but promptly left without speaking to him. It wasn't until she saw the news reports that her father was wanted on suspicion of murdering his wife and abandoning his young child that Grace even knew she had a half-sister. Feeling heartbroken by this news, she issued a public plea, asking for her father to return to New Zealand. She told reporters that Shuei could be kind when things were going well, but that, quote,

difficult times reveal the character of the person, and Shuei is somebody that you don't want to upset. To help provide financial assistance for her half-sister, Grace established a trust for Chen Shun, called the Little Pumpkin Trust. She told reporters that she and her husband were considering adopting Chen Shun, but they also understood that Annen's parents may want to take their granddaughter home to China. In Melbourne, the Victorian Department of Human Services made a joint decision with its New Zealand counterpart, child youth and family, to repatriate Chen Shun to Walkland.

As soon as her grandmother, Xiaoping Liu, had been informed of Annen's death, she immediately made plans to travel to New Zealand to collect her granddaughter. On September 25, 10 days after Chen Shun was abandoned, the two were reunited in Auckland, where photographers captured the moment the pair wrapped in a tight embrace. Speaking via an interpreter, Xiaoping told ABC Radio that she wanted to take her granddaughter back to China, stating, She has got nobody apart from me. Annen was my only child, and she is my only granddaughter.

I will do my utmost to bring her up. She has called me grandma since she was very young. She has lived in my home in Hunan. Everyone in my family loves her. A New Zealand judge ordered that Xiaoping be given leave to apply for a parenting order. She also ruled that Grace be permitted to have contact with her half-sister by telephone, email and visits when possible. The government paid approximately $10,000 in legal fees for Xiaoping to gain custody

of Chen Shun, and also covered the costs of Annen's funeral. While Xiaoping and Chen Shun waited for the legal process to clear, Auckland police attempted to entertain them by taking them to visit a vineyard and see a butterfly show. On October 7, 2007, after spending 12 days in New Zealand, Xiaoping and Chen Shun returned to China with Annen's ashes. In an open letter, Xiaoping expressed her gratitude to New Zealand's police, government and the public for their support and kindness. Meanwhile, Naiyin Shui had been labelled a fugitive, and authorities in both New Zealand

and the United States were on alert. Customs records revealed he had entered Los Angeles on September 15 under the Visa Waiver Program, which permitted citizens of New Zealand to visit the United States for 90 days without a visa. After the discovery of Annen's body, a warrant for Shui's arrest had been forwarded to Interpol's United States office, and a red notice was issued. A task force was formed that included the U.S. Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration Officers, the Los Angeles Police Department, and New Zealand Police.

Investigators soon discovered that upon Shui's arrival to the United States, he had briefly stayed at a cheap motel in Los Angeles' Chinatown district. But after that, the trail went cold. On September 25, the U.S. Marshals Service published a wanted poster with Shui's details that appealed to the American public to report any information regarding his whereabouts. The poster indicated that Shui was 53 years old, with black hair and brown eyes, standing at 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds. It was warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous, and could be hiding anywhere

in the country. A reward of US$10,000 was also offered by the New Zealand Police for information leading to an arrest. A press conference was held at the U.S. Marshals Command Center in Los Angeles, with the journalists from New Zealand, Australia, and Chinese-American newspapers in attendance, as well as news crews from L.A. television stations. By this time, Shui had been on the run for 10 days. U.S. Marshals and commander of the regional task force, Tom Hesseon, told of those assembled

that there was nothing to indicate that Shui had left Los Angeles. He stated, quote, He's in our country. We want to get him, and we're going to send him back to New Zealand. One journalist asked why the Interpol red notice had been issued only after Anand's body was identified, which was four days after Shui had fled to Los Angeles. New Zealand's police liaison officer, Superintendent Neville Matthews, responded, What I can say to you is it was expedited extremely quickly, much more quickly than

we have done in the past. When the journalist continued to probe, Chief Hesseon asked, Frankly, sir, are you just trying to bash the officers? Chief Hesseon said he was confident that U.S. authorities would capture Shui. He cautioned civilians against taking matters into their own hands if they spotted the fugitive, stating, quote, We do not know his state of mind. We do not know whether he is extremely violent or whether he has armed himself in some way.

I don't want to see anybody get hurt. Over the following months, several confirmed sightings of Shui came through. In October 2007, he was spotted in the Texas City of Houston, driving a 1996 Blue Ford Thunderbird with Texas license plates. Investigators were unable to locate him, but they told reporters they believed he may have been living in Texas for approximately one month. The following month, a segment about the case was broadcast on the television program America's Most Wanted, which prompted more tip-offs.

Two months later, on January 23, 2008, Shui was sighted driving the same Ford Thunderbird, this time in the Mississippi City of Biloxi, approximately 414 miles east of Houston. Despite these sightings, Shui continued to evade authorities. In February 2008, 400 miles northeast of Biloxi, in the Georgia City of Shambli, a group of six Chinese Americans befriended a newcomer who was looking to settle down locally. The man had introduced himself as Mr. Tang, a masseur who was eager to set up a massage business nearby. He was sharing a room with one of the individuals, a man named Geisen Wu.

Geisen liked Mr. Tang as he appeared to be friendly, although he often talked and cried throughout the night. On Saturday, February 23, Mr. Tang offered to show his new group of friends some kung-fu poses and one that he demonstrated caught their attention. A photograph of a man performing the same pose had recently been published in the American Chinese newspaper, World Journal, alongside an article about fugitive Na Ying Shui. The group suddenly realized that Mr. Tang bore a striking resemblance to the wanted man, the only difference being that he appeared to have recently had a haircut.

Realizing to their suspicions was the fact that Mr. Tang had recently changed the license plates on his car from Texas tags to New York ones, despite not ever leaving the state of Georgia. Realizing that Mr. Tang was in fact Na Ying Shui, the group called the local police station and attempted to explain the matter. However, as they spoke little English, the officers were unable to understand them. After multiple failed efforts to report Shui, the group concocted a plan to capture the fugitive themselves.

They initially considered alluring him to a restaurant under the pretense of sharing a meal, but concluded that inviting him to a private residence would be better. The group told Shui they were having a party on Thursday, February 28, and then started planning how to take down the martial arts expert. When the day arrived, Shui entered the apartment, unaware of what was about to take place. One of the men was a skilled footballer, and he swiftly kicked Shui while the remaining five friends tackled him to the ground. Shui struggled violently and attempted to strike his attackers with his elbow, but they

managed to remove Shui's pants and used them to hog-tie his legs and arms together. The five men of the group sat on Shui while the one woman, Ms. Chan, called the police. When officers arrived at the scene, the group showed them the newspaper article about Na Ying Shui and relinquished their hold on him. Although Shui was having some trouble breathing, he was otherwise unharmed. The attending officers searched the restrained suspect and discovered his New Zealand driver's license, as well as six and a half thousand US dollars in cash. He was promptly placed under arrest and taken into custody at the Shambli police station.

In a subsequent press conference, chief of Shambli police Mark Johnson told the media that although Shui was somewhat dirty and smelly, he appeared to be in good health. Chief Johnson added, quote, It's not a pretty picture for the martial arts expert. He ended up with these pants around his ankles and tied up. The police praised the group for their successful citizen's arrest and noted that they would be nominated for an award for their bravery. One of the individuals involved with the arrest told the press, quote,

I am not a hero. As a Chinese person living overseas, I feel I have the responsibility to help catch him. The arrest of an international fugitive was a significant moment for the small city of Shambli, which had just 22 police officers overseeing its population of 10,000. A spokesperson for the police department called it a once-in-a-lifetime event and said his officers were, quote, pumped about it. The relevant agencies were informed of the arrest and Shui was later transferred to the nearby DeKalb County Jail to await deportation.

As he had already overstayed the 90-day visit permitted under the visa waiver program, he could be deported back to New Zealand without the need for a lengthy and drawn-out extradition process. A little over a week after his capture, US authorities escorted Shui, who was manacled by the wrists and ankles, on a flight back to Auckland. He arrived on Monday, March 10, 2008, and appeared before a judge the same day. Nine-inch Shui was charged with the murder of his wife Anand Leo, and bail was denied. Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Scott told reporters, quote,

We're just happy to have him back in New Zealand. Over the next few weeks and months, we'll look at the evidence and consider further charges in due course. A preliminary hearing to determine whether there was enough evidence to send Shui to trial was scheduled for September. In the lead-up, Shui's barrister, Chris Komiski, revealed that his client intended to argue that he was being framed. According to Shui, a man Anand had met several weeks prior to her death was responsible for

the murder, and had then hid her body in Shui's car to pass the blame. Upon learning of the man's plot, Shui had panicked and fled the country with Chen Shun. Mr Komiski stated that he would be hiring a private investigator to track down the individual for questioning. On September 3, 2008, Shui's preliminary hearing began in Auckland's District Court. The prosecution presented evidence that after a series of steadily escalating violent incidents, Anand had died of ligature strangulation at the hands of her husband. Shui openly wept as the pathologist had detailed how Anand's body had been found in the boot

of Shui's car with a yellow tie wrapped around her neck. Six other witnesses also gave evidence, but due to strict restrictions regarding media coverage of the hearing, their testimonies were not made public. After two days, the two justices of the peace presiding over the hearing determined there was enough evidence to send Nayan Shui to trial for the death of his wife. He was ordered to remain in custody until his trial in Auckland's High Court. The trial began nine months later on June 1, 2009, in front of an all-female jury with Justice Hugh Williams presiding.

Prosecutor Aaron Perkins informed the court that Shui's marriage to Anand had not only been loveless and cold, but was also marred by abuse and violence. He called 95 witnesses to the stand as part of his case, including Anand's mother Shaoping, who gave evidence from China via video link and a translator. Clearly grief-stricken, Shaoping explained that she had never met her son-in-law in person and had only spoken to him twice over the phone. Around September 11, 2007, the last day Anand was seen alive, Shaoping had tried calling her daughter's mobile phone repeatedly because she hadn't heard from her and had a, quote,

bad feeling. Shui had eventually answered the phone the following day and told Shaoping that Anand had gone to Wellington with Chen Shun. Although Shaoping had been suspicious of Shui, his answer placated her and she felt somewhat reassured. At the conclusion of her testimony, Judge Williams inquired after the well-being of Chen Shun. Shaoping gave a heated and tearful response in Mandarin, which was not translated for the court as it was deemed too controversial.

The court was presented with the CCTV footage recorded at Southern Cross Station, which showed Shui abandoning Chen Shun before making his way to Melbourne Airport. Evidence was also presented about the discovery of Anand's body as well as her injuries and cause of death, with Mr Perkins contending that Shui had strangled his wife with his own tie before dumping her body in the boot of his vehicle. However, as no blood or sign of a struggle had been found anywhere in the couple's home, Mr Perkins acknowledged that investigators had been unable to find evidence as to where Anand had been murdered.

Forensic scientist Salianne Harbison told the court that Anand's underwear, which was also recovered from the boot, contained the DNA of three males. The major components correspond to Shui's DNA, with the minor trace components present from at least two further male individuals. Shui's DNA was also found on the tie, along with DNA from one of the mystery men. Ms Harbison confirmed that DNA could survive a washing machine cycle that clarified that quote, it is unusual and it would be surprising to find so many contributors. Once again, the defence presented Shui's claims that another man was responsible for

Anand's death, which they argued was the result of quote, rough sex gone wrong. Shui's barrister Chris Kamiski told the court that Anand had developed feelings for Wei Hong-Sung, the truck driver she had bordered with in Wellington after escaping the violence in her home. To support his case, Mr Kamiski read aloud from an online conversation Anand had with a friend. In it, Anand said she'd never been interested in sex prior to meeting Wei Hong-Sung, but she had developed a crush on him that made her feel quote, sexually ferocious, like a wolf. Wei Hong testified that he and Anand never had a sexual relationship. Regardless, Mr Kamiski used the ambiguity of Anand's message to support Shui's defence

that Anand had died as a result of erotic asphyxiation, a type of sexual activity that involves cutting off an individual's air supply. Mr Kamiski asked pathologist Timothy Kohlmeier whether it was possible that Anand's death had been an accident. Mr Kohlmeier initially stated he couldn't answer that question, but then remarked, if an answer is required, I can only say it's possible. Naoyin Shui listened intently to the entirety of the trial via a translator, but did not take the stand to testify in his own defence. On Friday, June 29, more than four weeks after the trial had commenced,

the jury retired to consider their verdict. They deliberated for a day before returning to court around midday on Saturday, June 30, finding Naoyin Shui guilty of murdering Anand Liu. When the verdict was read aloud, Shui raised a fist in the air and cried out, unfair, I'm innocent, I'm innocent. He was restrained by guards, but continued his outburst by repeatedly shouting, unfair, unfair, really unfair. He struggled as two security guards escorted him from the courtroom. Sentencing took place a month later on July 31, 2009, with Shui remaining subdued throughout the proceedings. Judge Williams noted that Shui was only able to concoct his defence that another man was

responsible for Anand's murder, because the prosecution was required to disclose the information about the DNA fragments from two unknown males being recovered from Anand's underwear and the tie around her neck. However, Judge Williams clarified that the amount of Shui's DNA found on those items far outweighed the smaller traces belonging to the two unknown persons. Judge Williams continued, quote, The jury must have regarded as literally incredible the suggestion that it was a mere coincidence that your wife died at about the time you made very considerable efforts to leave first New Zealand and then Australia, with as much money as possible, as quickly as possible.

The pointers to your having murdered your wife, though circumstantial, were very significant indeed. The pointers towards another man or men having murdered her were slight. Judge Williams said he had taken into account a number of aggravating factors, including Shui's previous history of violence and death threats against Anand, his efforts to evade detection by fleeing overseas, and the cruelty of the murder itself, quote. Anand was killed by strangulation. Everyone has choked on occasions and knows how frightening it is to be unable to breathe, even for only a few seconds. Here, you subjected your wife to about 45 seconds of what must have been excruciating terror, lost you were

grotting her until she lost consciousness. And your determination to kill her was such, you continued to apply pressure to the tie, for about another two to three minutes to ensure she died. Judge Williams also noted Shui's cruelty in abandoning his young daughter in a foreign country, but acknowledged this wouldn't impact sentencing as it wasn't included in the charges against him. He sentenced Shui to life in prison, the mandatory sentence for murder in New Zealand, but with a minimum of just 12 years before he would be eligible for parole. Shui was removed to serve his sentence at Rimitaka Prison in Upper Heart, 650 kilometers south of Auckland. Outside court, Shui's barrister Chris Kamiski told the media that his client

maintained his innocence and would soon be lodging an appeal. He added that Shui was sorry for abandoning Chen Shun, stating, he regrets that, and he will regret that all of his life. On September 7, 2009, Shui's legal team filed for appeal on the grounds that the jury should have been sequestered throughout the trial due to the high-profile nature of the case. A provisional appeal date was scheduled for May 4, 2011, but on April 29, just five days before the hearing was set to commence, Shui's legal team filed papers abandoning the appeal for unreported reasons. Despite this, Shui continued to insist upon his innocence. New Zealand's corrections department received multiple requests from Chinese-language newspaper

The New Zealand Chinese Herald to interview Shui, but these requests were consistently denied on the grounds that any interview would likely have a negative impact on Annan's family. Regardless, in 2010, a reporter informed the corrections department that the publication had received a 10-page document authored by Shui. Two years later, in 2012, a book based on this document was published by the New Zealand Chinese Herald, titled, I Was Not The Murderer. In the book, Shui argued for his innocence, with one excerpt reading, The whole world has accused me of being a murderer, but I dare not even kill a chicken, not to mention kill my wife. Given that the document wasn't the result of an unauthorized

interview, the corrections department was unable to prohibit its publication, and the book was sold in a number of Chinese supermarkets throughout Auckland. The only action that the corrections department could take was to urge the New Zealand Chinese Herald to consider the effect the publication might have on the victim's family. On March 9, 2020, almost 12 and a half years after Annan's murder, Nain Shui's parole hearing was held at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility. Using a translator, Shui finally admitted to being guilty of killing his wife. He shared that during his time in prison, he had become an avid painter and a devout Christian.

His prison record revealed he was well behaved and appeared to adhere to rules and regulations. When the parole board asked Shui how he had addressed his propensity for violence, he responded, Firstly, I'm very remorseful. I would like to apologize to everyone who has been hurt. Shui claimed that in 2010, he realized just how serious his crime was and that he needed to take responsibility for the offence. He told the parole board he had killed Annan because of his extremely bad temper, which was triggered by their differences in opinion. Shui stated, At the time, divorce would have served the problem. I should not have committed this kind of extremely serious mistake.

However, Shui's claim that he had taken responsibility as early as 2010 seemed unlikely, given that he was still appealing his innocence up until 2011. When asked whether abducting his daughter and abandoning her in Melbourne was also a mistake, Shui replied, Yes. At the time, I brought my child to Australia in order to escape from this. It was very inconvenient to bring her along. He explained that when he saw police were present at Southern Cross Station, he had concluded it would be safe to leave Chan Shun there, as she would be looked after by law enforcement. The parole board ultimately rejected Shui's application.

Although his parole assessment report stated that he was at low risk of re-offending, a psychological report concluded the opposite. Moreover, if released, Shui would be required to undertake a group rehabilitation program that was conducted entirely in English, and it was determined that his English was not fluent enough for him to participate. Shui is scheduled to reappear in front of the parole board in March 2021 for his next hearing. Following Shui's arrest and conviction, New Zealand's Family Violence Court came under scrutiny, as politicians and the public questioned why he had ever been in a position where he could harm his wife, given his history of domestic violence. In 2009, then-mayor of Waitakere,

Bob Harvey, spoke out against Judge Phil Recodon's decision to give Shui a suspended sentence for his brutal assault against Danon, stating, I'm absolutely bloody appalled. I feel sometimes the court system fails families, it fails women, and this is a real example of that. There's something seriously wrong here. Too many people, for reasons I cannot understand, are let off with warnings and a slap on the wrist, and it's got to stop. Judge Recodon refused to comment on the grounds that, quote, constitutional convention required that judges don't discuss specific cases in the media. Chief District Court Judge Russell Johnson came to Judge Recodon's defense,

telling reporters that prison sentences weren't suitable for a large number of cases brought before the Family Violence Court, and may actually deter victims from reporting their abuses. As Shui had no previous convictions at the time, Judge Recodon had been attempting to give the family their best chance at reconciling, and had no way of knowing that tragedy would result. Despite this assertion, Shui's abusive and controlling behaviour towards Danon met a number of key risk factors that were outlined in a 2007 New Zealand report on domestic violence risk assessments. Titled Living at the Cutting Edge, the report found that a recent or planned separation often precedes a domestic violence homicide, as disescalating levels of

violence and controlling behaviour. Additionally, a victim's perception that their life is in danger was noted as one of the most reliable indicators of them being at genuine risk. Annan's circumstances prior to her murder met all three of these risk factors. After a 2014 report found that about half of the country's homicides were committed by an offender who belongs to the victim's family, there have been some changes to New Zealand's Family Violence Laws. In 2018, New Zealand Parliament passed the Family Violence Act to replace the 1995 Domestic Violence Act. Among other updates, this revised legislation prioritises the safety and wellbeing of victims during sentencing decisions and requires victim

informed assessments and programs. On March 18, 2007, the group of Chinese Americans who successfully conspired to capture Naiyen Shui were formally recognised for their bravery. They received certificates of appreciation from the town of Shambli and were told they would also receive the $10,000 reward that was on offer for information leading to Shui's arrest. The group hadn't been aware of the reward, but quickly agreed on how to spend the money. They decided to donate $2,000 to an elderly friend who was unable to care for himself and to give the remaining $8,000 to Chen Shun Shui. The Little Pumpkin Trust Fund, established by Chen Shun's half-sister Grace, attracted a total of $40,000 New Zealand Dollars.

That money remains untouched in a secure New Zealand bank account where it continues to accumulate interest. After returning to China in 2007, Chen Shun settled into her new life and has thrived ever since. Friend of the family, Pan Zi Wong, stated, she's a very mature and sensible girl. She's been to her mum's grave to pay her respects. Chen Shun's family have expressed their desire to give her as much privacy as possible, but have also shared their gratitude to New Zealanders for their support. In Anen's final blog entry, which was published at around midnight the day before her murder, she wrote about the grief and sorrow she was experiencing in her life.

However, she also reflected on the importance of remembering happier times, writing, At the end of bad luck, brightness will come. I will keep the good memories in mind. It's what you have already had and cherish that won't end.