Key Takeaways
- Police discovered the body of 70‑year‑old Shulai Wang in black rubbish bags at Gulf Harbour Marina in March 2024.
- Four family members – Kaixiao Liu, Lanyue Xiao, Xiuyun Li and Jingui Liu – are charged with manslaughter and kidnapping; they are representing themselves with standby lawyers.
- The Crown alleges Wang was detained in a tent, denied food and medical care after failing to follow strict household rules, and may have been placed in a suitcase before her death.
- Numerous handwritten Chinese notes found at the defendants’ Orewa residence reveal an “unconventional” religious lifestyle, including self‑described titles such as “Lord,” “Master,” “Queen,” and covenants pledging souls and bodies to the Liu family.
- The notes document daily chores, behavioural point‑systems, punishments (including tying, confinement in a tent, and threats of being put in a suitcase), and references to Wang (“La”) expressing gratitude for spiritual guidance.
- A behavioural log kept by Xiuyun Li recorded Wang’s infractions (e.g., improper kneeling, slow eating) and linked them to reduced meals or harsher treatment.
- After Wang’s alleged escape attempt on 6 March, notes show she was quickly returned, punished, and later described as “no longer appearing” in daily performance logs by 8 March, the day the body was reportedly bagged.
- The judge warned the jury not to let sympathy for the defendants’ beliefs influence their verdict, stressing that they are on trial only for the alleged criminal acts.
- The trial continues at Auckland High Court, with the defendants expected to conduct cross‑examination on the following Monday.
Background of the Case
The case centres on the death of Shulai Wang, a 70‑year‑old woman from China’s Hainan province, whose body was found sealed in black rubbish bags at Gulf Harbour Marina in March 2024. Police quickly linked the remains to Wang after identification procedures. The discovery prompted a homicide investigation that unfolded at a residential property in Orewa, north Auckland, where Wang had been living with a Chinese‑origin family. The property became the focal point of evidence gathering, yielding dozens of handwritten notes that later formed a core part of the prosecution’s case.
Discovery of Wang’s Body
Officers recovered the body from the marina after receiving a tip about suspicious bags floating in the water. Forensic examination confirmed the remains belonged to Shulai Wang. The bags were described as heavy and tightly sealed, with notes inside indicating attempts to “get rid of the gas/air” and to layer clothing minimally. The condition of the body and the manner of concealment suggested a deliberate effort to hide a death that had occurred several days earlier.
Defendants and Legal Proceedings
Four relatives – Kaixiao Liu, his wife Lanyue Xiao, his mother Xiuyun Li, and his father Jingui Liu – were charged with manslaughter and kidnapping. All have pleaded not guilty and opted to represent themselves, assisted by standby lawyers appointed by the court. The trial is being heard before Judge Mathew Downs at the Auckland High Court. The defendants’ decision to self‑represent has added complexity to the proceedings, as they navigate legal arguments while also presenting their own narrative of events.
Unconventional Religious Beliefs and Practices
The Crown alleges that Kaixiao Liu headed a religious group in which he was addressed as “Lord,” “Master,” or “Teacher,” and Lanyue Xiao as “Queen.” Handwritten documents uncovered at the residence include a “Letter of Conversion,” a “Covenant,” a “Covenant of the Soul,” and a “Covenant of the Body.” In these texts, women residing at the house pledged their souls and bodies to the Liu family, describing themselves as members of a “secret LIU family of the tribe of Judah, descendants of David.” The notes reveal a communal lifestyle where participants expressed willingness to enter mutual love relationships and to bear children together, framing these commitments as voluntary acts of faith.
Content of the Handwritten Notes
Translated by experienced translator Cyril Young, the notes provide a window into daily life at the house. One notebook bearing Wang’s fingerprint contains entries such as “I am grateful to the Lord and the messengers for their unfailing love for La” – with “La” identified by prosecutors as a reference to Wang. Other entries describe Wang’s spiritual progress, her gratitude for guidance, and her efforts to stay “away from evil and temptation.” Additional notes discuss the establishment of a “kingdom” with “many servants,” and reflect on moral lessons following a death. The documents also contain behavioural logs that award or deduct points based on residents’ adherence to rules, forming a quasi‑disciplinary system.
Events Leading to Wang’s Death
The notes chronicle escalating restrictions on Wang. A March 3 entry records that her face was swollen and that she failed to kneel upright despite reminders, with commentators noting she could be “pretending” or hindered by illness. A point‑system note warned that repeated failures to follow rules would directly affect meal provisions, and that staying in a tent would be uncomfortable, especially with impending rain. On 6 March, a note describes Wang “call[ing] out urgently” after running to a neighbour’s yard; she was swiftly returned by family members and subsequently punished. Later that same day, another note mentions placing someone on a “little black bed to make them repent” and threatens that screaming would result in tighter binding or placement in a suitcase. By 8 March, Wang’s name disappears from the daily performance logs, suggesting she was no longer being recorded as an active household member.
Aftermath and Disposal of the Body
On 8 March, a note details instructions for disposing of the body: “Remove the clothes … just leave a layer of under clothes,” “Need to use two bags, in case one is not enough, 2 bags, 3 bags are fine…” and directions to place the sealed bags in the boot of a vehicle. The same day, other women earned points for cleaning the garage for three hours, an area later tested for blood (though results were inconclusive). Subsequent notes, dated 27 March and April 16‑17, reveal the family’s anxiety about the discovery of the rubbish bags, with one writer contemplating suicide by walking into the sea with stones, and another reflecting that the deceased “would definitely be the one who dies” if any violence were to occur.
Courtroom Observations and Jury Instructions
Judge Mathew Downs reminded the jury that the notes would discuss the family’s religious beliefs and living arrangements, which he characterised as “unconventional.” He cautioned jurors not to allow emotional reactions to those beliefs to sway their judgment, emphasizing that “the defendants are not on trial for their religious beliefs or living arrangements; they are on trial for specific alleged offences.” The Crown prosecutor, Henry Steele, repeatedly highlighted passages from the notes that described rule‑breaking, punishments, and the eventual concealment of Wang’s body, seeking to tie the documentary evidence directly to the charges of manslaughter and kidnapping.
Current Status of the Trial
As of the latest court session, the trial remains ongoing at the Auckland High Court. The defendants are expected to conduct their cross‑examination of prosecution witnesses on the upcoming Monday. Both sides continue to debate the interpretation of the notes, the extent of Wang’s alleged consent to the household’s regime, and whether the actions described constitute criminal conduct beyond the participants’ religious practices. The outcome will hinge on whether the jury finds that the alleged confinement, deprivation, and concealment amount to manslaughter and kidnapping under New Zealand law.