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Death in Gulf Harbour
A New Zealand court sentenced Kaixiao Liu to 10 years and five months imprisonment for the manslaughter and kidnapping of 70-year-old Shulai Wang, whose body was found wrapped in layers of black rubbish bags in Auckland's Gulf Harbour in March 2024.
“sentenced to 10 years and five months imprisonment”
Liu’s wife, Lanyue Xiao, received a sentence of seven years and 11 months for her role, while Justice Mathew Downs handed down the prison terms at Auckland's High Court on Tuesday morning.
The BBC said the body of Wang, who had travelled from China to live with Liu’s family, was found wrapped in rice bags near Auckland's Gulf Harbour in March 2024, sparking a major homicide investigation that eventually led to Liu.
RNZ reported that Wang was punished for not complying with the strict rules of the household, and that she was denied food and water after a failed escape just days before her death, with the judge noting Liu detained her for 38 hours and restrained her for much of the period.
Judge’s rebuke and denial
Justice Mathew Downs told Liu, “You were its ringleader,” and said, “You were callously indifferent to a fellow human being. Because of you, Ms Wang died a lonely, frightening death ... You display no remorse whatsoever.”
The BBC also quoted Downs’s sentencing remarks, including “Because of you, Ms Wang died a lonely, frightening death. You display no remorse whatsoever. You should feel shame.”
Liu denied he is a cult leader and told the BBC he only attracted followers through his music, while the NZ Herald said prosecutors described the household as having “a shared delusion in his divinity”.
The NZ Herald reported that Liu and Xiao were arrested in June 2024 at Auckland Airport as they prepared to leave New Zealand for what was described as a short round-trip visit to China, after the investigation began when a fisherman discovered Wang’s body wrapped in rubbish bags and floating in Gulf Harbour off the Whangaparāoa Peninsula.
Convictions, deportation, and family
RNZ said Liu’s mother, Xiuyun Li, and father, Jingui Liu, were also convicted in June, with Li convicted of kidnapping and Jingui Liu convicted of misconduct to human remains, and that they will be sentenced later this year.
“They will be sentenced later this year”
The BBC reported that besides Liu, his wife Lanyue Xiao was sentenced to nearly eight years in jail for kidnapping and manslaughter, and that Xiuyun Li and Jingui Liu had earlier been convicted and were due to be sentenced later this year.
RNZ said Downs emphasised Liu’s “callous indifference” to Wang and other women in the house, and that he noted Liu kept the black pushchair used to dispose of Wang’s body and the black bed she was detained in as warnings to the other women.
RNZ added that Downs said both Liu and Xiao are permanent residents in New Zealand and are likely to be deported after serving their sentence, while the judge also rejected submissions seeking discounts based on good work or character references and did not grant a 10 percent discount sought by Liu and Xiao.