Mystery caller may hold clue in Chinese murder case

Oct 14 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

A MYSTERY caller who anonymously rang investigating officers may hold vital clues to the brutal murder of two Chinese graduates, it emerged last night.

Police last night appeared on BBC’s Crimewatch for the second time since Xi Zhou and her boyfriend Zhen Xing Yang were bludgeoned to death in their ground-floor Tyneside flat.

Det Supt Steve Wade said investigating officers were desperately trying to contact an anonymous Mandarin caller who left a message saying he had important information.

Investigating officers also reiterated their plea to trace a lodger who agreed to rent a room at the flat – saying this person could lead officers directly to the Newcastle University graduate’s killers.

Det Supt Steve Wade said: “Since the first appeal on Crimewatch, officers have received a significant number of calls and emails.

“Following the programme, a Mandarin speaker called into the incident room and left a message saying he had crucial information relating to the case. We urgently need him to call back so we can talk with him.

“And we still believe the lodger who took up the lease holds key information. We still haven’t identified him and need to do so urgently.”

It is now more than two months since the Chinese couple were found bludgeoned and stabbed to death in their Tyneside flat in Croydon Road, Fenham, on August 9.

Xi Zhou, known to friends as Ci Ci, was last seen alive walking home from a shift as a waitress at city centre restaurant Wagamama around 4pm on Thursday, August 7.

Their bodies were found in separate rooms and their pet cat was discovered dead, submerged in a bowl of water under the sink in their bathroom.

Det Supt Wade said: “Given that there were two people killed, given the gratuitous nature of the violence, given that they were separated in two separate rooms, we think there were two or more offenders in this killing.”

Following initial appeals, a female witness came forward identifying three people standing at the front gate of the house shortly after 5pm.

She described one of the people in detail and an artist’s impression of the man was released on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme last month.

Following that broadcast, two new local witnesses came forward and an e-fit image of a second man was drawn.

This man is described as being Chinese, between 5ft 8in and 6ft tall, of stocky build, is his early 40s, with short black combed hair.

He was described as having a bad complexion with a pock-marked face, his eyes slightly more rounded than some oriental eyes.

It is thought he was wearing a grey round-necked T-shirt and a black suit.

Det Supt Wade said: “We are urgently appealing for information to trace these three men, as they could have information which may help the inquiry, or we may be able to eliminate them from the murder investigation.

“We are hoping the re-appeal on Crimewatch will help us identify these men.”

Anyone with information should call Northumbria Police on 0845 604-3043 or 0345 604-3043.