Li murder accused was close to victim

Kiko Jiayi Li. Photo / Supplied

A man accused of murdering Kiko Jiayi Li was known to the family as one her best friends, and was the first person they tried to contact after she vanished.

Yu Hong Lin, 20, known to the family as Evan, had been close to Miss Li for more than a year, said Eason Xie, who is married to the dead woman's cousin Rebecca.

"They were good friends who always go went together, that's why my wife straight away picked up the phone to call him to look for Kiko when we did not know where she was," said Mr Xie.

They belonged to the same group of friends who often went out together.

Mr Xie said it was "totally shocking" for the family to learn that Yu had been accused of playing a part in Miss Li's death.

"I don't know how to describe our feelings ... sadness, anger, pain ... Evan was one of Kiko's best friends."

Yu and another Chinese man, international student Li Hong Xin, 18, have been charged with Miss Li's murder and aggravated robbery.

"Evan said he had no idea [where Kiko was] and said he had dropped Kiko back at her apartment that day, and we believed him," said Mr Xie.

Miss Li was last seen driving off in her car in Kingsland at 2am on May 19, and police believe she died that day.

Her body was found nearly two weeks later in the boot of her car in Hamilton.

A third person, believed to have driven Miss Li's 1998 red Toyota car more than 120km to Hamilton, has been charged with tampering with evidence.

He has name suppression until his next court appearance.

Miss Li's father, Chang Kui Li, and mother, Tan Wang, arrived in Auckland from Beijing last Friday, but were too devastated to identify their daughter's body.

Mr Xie, who identified the body with another relative, said Miss Li's parents were "still hurting and are finding it hard to accept that their only daughter is gone".

A funeral was held on Monday in Henderson attended by about 30 close friends and relatives.

Although Miss Li was not a Christian, Mr Xie said the family decided to follow a Christian funeral rite.

He said the service was short "because anything longer will just be prolonging Kiko's parents' suffering".

The couple plan to leave New Zealand this evening, after collecting their daughter's ashes, which they will take back to China.

Another memorial service will be held for Miss Li in her hometown of Hubei for friends and relatives.

Her parents had no wish to stay in New Zealand for the trial, Mr Xie said.

He said Miss Li's father had a weak heart and high blood pressure, and there were concerns that he might not be able to handle listening to details of how his daughter was killed and dumped in the boot of her own car.