Man charged with couple's murder (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Man charged with couple's murder

9:36am Sunday 26th October 2008 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
•  

A 30-year-old man has been charged with the murder of two Chinese graduates who were found hacked to death earlier this year.

Northumbria Police said Guang Hui Cao, of Castle Close, Morpeth, is accused of murdering Xi Zhou and her boyfriend, Zhen Xing Yang, both 25, who were found dead in their ground-floor flat in Croydon Road, Newcastle, in August.

He is due to appear before magistrates in the city on Monday.

The couple's bodies were found shortly after 4.30pm on August 9 after officers from Northumbria Police were called to their flat at 8 Croydon Road.

Detectives believe Mr Zhen 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 Miss Xi.

The last known sighting of either of the victims alive was a CCTV image showing Miss Xi arriving home from work on August 7 at around 4pm.

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said the families of the two people who died had been informed of the developments in China.

Guang was arrested on Thursday by police investigating the attack. Two other men arrested in connection with the killing have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

All three are Chinese nationals.

A further 14 people, again all Chinese nationals, were arrested on suspicion of burglary and immigration offences but have all now been bailed pending further inquiries.