Melbourne mystery: Why was 'nice' Chinese couple slain?
THEY were, by all accounts, a nice, quiet, loving couple with no history of any trouble.
Neighbours and workmates liked them as they were hard working and friendly. That's why the brutal slaying of Ms Zhao Ying, 32, and Mr Li Yuqing, 34, in their Edward Street, Essendon, flat in Melbourne on Monday night was so shocking.
The couple, who had been married for about five years, were originally from China, but lived in Singapore before arriving in Australia 18 months ago, reported The Herald Sun.
The Australian police say they may have been killed last Thursday or Friday.
It was possible one had been attacked first, then the other later, after arriving home.
Detective Senior Sergeant Rowland Legg of the homicide squad told The Age that they had been attacked 'particularly violently' with what was probably a bladed weapon.
He said there was no sign of a struggle or forced entry to the flat. Valuables had been left inside and the door was locked.
The police are trying to establish a motive for the killing but ruled out any connection to Melbourne's recent spate of gangland killings.
They have asked the police in China to investigate the couple's backgrounds.
A hand-phone taken from the flat could provide clues to the couple's last movements as colleagues of Ms Zhao, who worked at a book binding firm, said she and her husband constantly sent each other short messages. The couple had moved to the inner-city apartment only last month. Neighbours believed they had no relatives in Australia.
Mr Li studied information technology at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and worked at a supermarket.
The couple had received permanent residence just two months ago.
Mr Terry Mills, who lives directly above the couple, helped break into the
flat.
'There was a big pool of blood around the guy's head and he was face down
in the lounge room,' he said. 'The woman was in the bedroom face down.'
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