Murder squad in raid on house

Sep 5 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

DETECTIVES hunting the killers of a Chinese couple in Newcastle have raided a house in the street where they lived.

Police executed a search warrant at dawn at a house in Croydon Road, in the city’s West End, in connection with the killing.

Along with forensic officers, they entered number 63 Croydon Road, which is about 100 yards from the flat at number 8 which was the home of Xi Zhou and boyfriend Zhen Xing Yang. The couple, Newcastle University graduates, were found murdered, along with their cat, on August 9, though it is believed they were killed on the afternoon of Thursday, August 7, the last time either of them was seen.

Police believe Mr Yang, known as Kevin, was tortured for up to an hour before he was hacked and stabbed to death by his killers, who then turned on Wagamama noodle bar waitress Xi Zhou, known as Ci Ci.

A police spokeswoman said: “Officers from Northumbria Police major investigation team executed a search warrant at 63 Croydon Road in connection with the murder investigation at 8 Croydon Road.

“No arrests were made. A number of occupants are being interviewed as potential witnesses to the inquiry.” Yesterday afternoon the only sign of activity at the house, which is up for rent to students, was a police van in the back lane. Neighbours said they believed a group of Chinese students lived there, but they had not seen much of the occupants.

At number 8 the flowers left on the fence by friends have begun to die. A giant tiger soft toy remains in the yard, beside messages in Chinese, pictures of Miss Zhou and a pair of apples.

After the murders The Journal revealed that the couple had been involved in alleged passport forgery, fake visa and university documentation and an internet football betting scam

Detectives have been following the rumours and threats posted on internet sites from people said to have been employed by Mr Yang to help fix the outcome of betting on the results of games in the Premiership and other countries, shown in China.

But last week Detective Superintendent Steve Wade, who is leading the investigation, said the couple might have been targeted by a Chinese gang who look for seemingly wealthy young people who are advertising rooms to rent.

Officers are still trying to trace a mystery lodger who had signed up to rent the room in 8 Croydon Road at the beginning of August, and are also looking for three potential witnesses seen outside the victims’ flat less than an hour after the last time Miss Zhou was seen alive.

A £5,000 reward is on offer for information that leads to conviction of the killers.

Police can be contacted on 03456 043043 or by email at northumbria-police@ymail.com, or messages can be left on a Mandarin and Cantonese answering service on (0191) 221-8200.