Chan Chen had told a friend a doctor had diagnosed her husband with schizophrenia.
Chan Chen had told a friend a doctor had diagnosed her husband with schizophrenia.
Investigators believe a woman whose body was discovered in a freezer at her home on Sydney's north shore was stabbed to death by her husband, who then flew to China, an inquest has heard.
Chan Chen, also known as Vivian, was found dead in a chest freezer at her Pymblehome on November 27, 2019.
The 36-year-old mother of two worked in early childhood education at a centre in St Ives.
Police made the discovery after her husband, Haoling Luo, rang his colleague and left a message: "I was a little mentally abnormal a few days ago and accidentally killed my wife during a fight with her."
Police believe Chen died on November 24 or 25 from stab wounds inflicted by Luo, an inquest before deputy state coroner Elaine Truscott has heard.
Magistrate Truscott laid out the events leading up to the discovery of Chen's body in findings published on Thursday.
The inquest received evidence that Luo had behaved increasingly erratically throughout 2019 and had lost one of his two jobs in September 2019.
He told a friend he thought people were trying to kill him and that Chen was having an affair, leading the friend to think he was delusional, the inquest heard.
Chan Chen pictured on her wedding day. Photo / NSW Police
Another friend noticed there appeared to be something "mentally wrong" with Luo at a dinner a few months before Chen died.
About a year and a half earlier, the friend said, Chen had told her a Chinese doctor had diagnosed Luo with schizophrenia.
On November 24, 2019, neighbours of Luo and Chen had called emergency services just before midnight, reporting "raised voices and children screaming".
Police attended and spoke briefly to neighbours, but heard nothing further, and left.
The next morning, the director of the St Ives childcare centre received a text message from Chen's mobile phone saying she needed to take a few weeks off work.
She immediately rang the mobile and spoke to Luo, who said Chen was on the toilet and that they were leaving for China imminently.
Around 11.30am Luo picked up a 324L chest freezer from Mt Druitt and that afternoon, he asked a friend for a lift to the airport, the findings state.
The flight did not take off due to bad weather, but Luo and the children flew out the next day, November 26.
Around 8.21am on November 27, Luo's colleague received the voicemail message and called police.
In the Pymble apartment, police found Chen's body, her blood in a number of places, and a typed letter stating the pair had agreed to separate earlier that month, but would remain living together.
