Yuxi Wang, Zheng Li and Xiangxin Cui in the High Court. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey
A juror broke down in tears last night after returning a guilty verdict in the body-in-the-suitcase murder trial.
After 12 hours of deliberation and a trial which lasted over a month, the jury in the High Court at Auckland found Chinese students Li Zheng, 22, and Cui Xiang
Xin, 22, guilty of the kidnapping and murder of 19-year-old Wan Biao last Easter.
Wang Yuxi, also 22, was found guilty of kidnapping but not guilty of murder or manslaughter.
Li and Zheng did not react in the dock, although Li smiled as he was led away. The pair had befriended Wan, lured him to an Auckland hotel room, strangled him then tried to cut his head off before putting his body in a suitcase and dumping him in the harbour.
Justice John Priestly said he was "profoundly impressed" with the jury, some of whom may have found some of the evidence chilling and disturbing.
Detective Inspector Bernie Hollewand, the officer in charge of the case, said the verdicts were a big relief.
He explained that Yin Lianda, who had originally been charged but granted immunity in exchange for testimony, had been needed as a witness because police had not had any evidence on what went on inside the hotel room where Wan Biao was killed and also needed someone to identify all the "shadowy characters" in security recordings.
The three students were remanded in custody for sentencing on November 28.
