Murdered His Brothers Family for Snitching on Jail for 14 Years
After 4 trials spanning three years, a jury has plant Sydney man Robert Xie guilty of murdering five members of the Lin family unit.
Newsagent Min Lin, his wife Lily Lin, sister-in-law Irene Lin and two sons Henry, 12, and Terry, ix, were bludgeoned to death inside their Due north Epping home in July 2009.
The brutality of the law-breaking and the fact that 2 of the victims were children shocked Sydney and prompted speculation almost who could have been responsible.
Mr Lin was well liked by customers at his Epping newsagency and past all accounts, the business was doing well, then what were the possible motives?
Was it gang related? Was it payback for a debt owed? Who would murder a family as they slept?
Later on the initial barrage of headlines about the murders and funeral, the story went quiet, with no new leads on the case the media could study.
To the public, it may have appeared as though the trail had gone common cold.
But a team of law officers, led by Detective Sergeant Joe Maree, were nonetheless quietly going nigh their work.
And almost two years later, Robert Xie was arrested.
1 prepare of bloodied footprints and a possible motive
Min Lin was Xie's brother-in-constabulary.
Xie was interviewed extensively by police, not long after the murders in 2009, and once more the post-obit year.
Bloodied footprints were plant in the upstairs bedrooms of the Lin family home and police would afterwards count 24 sole impressions in the business firm.
The footprints were found to be consistent with the make of sport shoes worn by Xie.
Investigators also came to the decision that this was a criminal offence committed by a member of the family — although Xie'south lawyers would later reject claims that ane person could accept carried out all the killings.
Xie and his wife, Kathy Lin, were subjected to six months of electronic surveillance and the powerful New South Wales Crime Commission also got involved in the investigation.
It was not until May 2011, well-nigh two years afterward the family'due south death, that constabulary moved in, placing Xie under arrest and charging him with five counts of murder.
4 trials for murder
It took 4 trials to find Xie guilty.
In the first instance, the jury was discharged after several weeks, when new evidence came to calorie-free about an alleged sexual motive for the murders involving a person who cannot be identified.
The second trial came to a halt several weeks into the trial when the approximate savage ill.
The third trial in 2015 went full term but culminated in a hung jury — they could non concur unanimously on whether Xie was guilty or not guilty.
Xie has maintained his innocence since 2009, pleading not guilty to five charges of murder in a trial before Justice Elizabeth Fullerton in the NSW Supreme Court which commenced on June 29, 2016.
Motivation for one of the largest homicides in NSW history?
The example put to the jury by prosecutors was that this was a offense of intense bitterness, jealousy and hatred, because Xie resented the way Mr Lin was being treated by his in-laws.
Crown prosecutor Tanya Smith said Xie felt humiliation, acrimony and resentment most his brother-in-law being held in such regard, when in his mind, he was and so undeserving.
Ms Smith said Xie had go bitter afterwards getting into a dispute with the adults in the Lin family over the management of their Northward Epping newsagency which left him feeling "subordinate".
The crown argued the murders were "well planned" and "personal" confronting the successful businessman and his family.
Defence barrister Robert Webb said there was nada wrong with the relationship between the families at the time.
He said his client loved Mr Lin's son Henry as if he was his own and it did not fit that he would then murder him.
Spare primal and bloodied footprints at centre of dispute
Prosecutors said the bloodied shoeprints left on the carpet of the Lin family's Purlieus Road home suggested there was only one killer.
Just the jury was then told the prints may accept belonged to three brands, other than the ane prosecutors linked to Xie.
Prosecutors said Xie secretly drugged his married woman and so he could leave their house in Beck Street, Epping, subsequently 2:00am on July xviii and walk the 300 metres to the Lin family's house.
Ability to the Lin dwelling was cut and there were no signs of forced entry.
Police said the killer must take had a key and known their way around the property.
Xie's lawyers disputed claims only one person was responsible for the murders and argued that anyone with a torch could have navigated the Lin family unit home.
The weapon, which has never been found, was "an improvised hammer-like implement" and the crown said there was a "distinct pattern of injuries of the v deceased".
Prosecutors said Xie disposed of it subsequently leaving his wife at the Lin family domicile after she discovered the bodies.
Wired cellmate gave evidence
Prosecutors relied on a prison informant, known to the court as 'Witness A', who gave evidence about his conversations with Xie in custody and wore a wire for police, with some of the conversations recorded.
Only Xie's lawyers attacked the credibility of Witness A.
"The defence don't have that he's a homo of truth. You wouldn't trust him with a cracked cup," Mr Webb said.
"If he told yous it was raining, y'all'd go exterior and cheque."
The defence also stressed the "improbability of all 5 [Lin family unit members] being incapacitated or killed without making a noise".
Mr Webb pointed to Xie'southward excuse, supported past his wife, that he was in bed asleep with her when the crimes occurred.
Questions over DNA evidence
Dna evidence as well featured prominently during the trial.
The jury heard police discovered a pocket-sized smear of claret, from at least four of the victims, on Xie'south garage floor, 10 months afterwards the murders.
Xie allegedly cleaned his garage on the morning of the murders, but failed to observe this stain.
The crown said this could accept been caused past the murder weapon, Xie's shoes or his clothing beingness placed on the garage floor.
Henry Lin had defensive injuries on his forearms, suggesting he was moving effectually the room, during the set on.
Posted , updated
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-12/lin-family-murder-the-trial-of-robert-xie/8153312
0 Response to "Murdered His Brothers Family for Snitching on Jail for 14 Years"
Postar um comentário