‘Trusted friend’, 32, is found guilty of murder after strangling girl, 16, then trying to fatally stab her father in their Chinese takeaway in ‘revenge’ attack intended for her mother due to him owing £14,000 to the family
- Chun Xu, 31, guilty of murdering Wenjing Lin, 16, at the Blue Sky takeaway, Wales
- Wenjing lived at the property in Baglan Street with her mother and stepfather
- Chun Xu admitted manslaughter and unlawfully wounding Yongquan Jiang, 38
- He denied murder, but was found guilty following a trial at Merthyr Crown Court
A ‘trusted family friend’ who strangled a 16-year-old schoolgirl and stabbed her stepfather over a £14,000 gambling debt has today been found guilty of murder.
Chun Xu, 32, killed Wenjing Lin – also known as Wenjing Xu – at the Blue Sky takeaway in the village of Ynyswen in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, on March 5.
Wenjing lived at the takeaway in Baglan Street with her mother, Meifang Xu, and stepfather, Yongquan Jiang.
Merthyr Crown Court previously heard how Xu was a heavy gambler and owed the family £14,000.
After killing the teenager, Xu is said to have lured her stepfather into the basement before repeatedly stabbing him in the neck and body.
When Mr Jiang asked Xu why he was attacking him, Xu replied: ‘Money, money, money.’
Xu, later told police he wanted ‘revenge’ against his victim’s mother Meifang Xu after falling into debt.
He admitted the manslaughter, but not the murder, of Wenjing. But a jury today found him guilty of murder. He was also found guilty attempting to murder Yongquan.
The defendant, who is of no fixed abode, will be sentenced on Friday, November 12, date.
He was told by Judge Paul Thomas QC he will be serving a term of life imprisonment.
Chun Xu (pictured), 31, has been accused of murdering Wenjing Lin, 16, in an alleged attack at her family’s Blue Sky Chinese in Ynyswen, Rhondda, South Wales, in March
Wenjing Lin – also known as Wenjing Xu – lived at the property in Baglan Street with her mother and stepfather
Michael Jones QC, prosecuting, previously told the court Xu visited the family armed with a kitchen knife, and an hour before the attacks had Googled ‘can fingerprints be destroyed by fire’.
When he was later questioned by a psychologist about his fitness to be questioned by police, he said: ‘I didn’t mean to hurt the little girl. I wanted revenge on her mother.
‘She upset me on many times and didn’t listen to what I say.’
Xu, also known as Little Gang, was regarded as a nephew to the mother, Ms Xu, as their parents had lived next door to each other in China, but they were not blood relations, Mr Jones said.
In December 2020, the family entrusted Xu with £20,000 that he said he would send back to China for them to pay a friend who had loaned them money to start their business in the UK.
However, Xu only sent some of the money back and gambled away £14,000, which he had then begun paying back.
On March 4, 2021, he rang Ms Xu and asked if he could come to see them, but told her not to tell anyone about his visit.
That night they ate food together and went to bed.
Police at the Blue Sky Chinese take-away in Treorchy, Wales, March 6
Chun Xu appeared at Merthyr Crown Court wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a jumper today for the beginning of a two-week hearing
March 6: Police outside The Blue Sky Chinese takeaway in Baglan Street in Treorchy
The next morning, Mr Jones said, he ‘strangled to death 16-year-old Wenjing’.
An hour before the attack he is said to have Googled different variations of whether ‘finger prints on knife will still exist if burnt by fire’.
After killing Wenjing, Xu is said to have lured her stepfather, Mr Jiang, into the basement by asking whether he could have a piece of fish from the freezer.
In the basement, Xu began attacking Mr Jiang with two knives, stabbing him in the neck and body.
Ms Xu then came down the basement stairs and saw the two fighting. She tried to ring a friend, and Xu bit her.
Mr Jiang fought Xu off and went upstairs to find his stepdaughter, Wenjing. He discovered her lying on her back by the takeaway counter.
Despite attempts by the family and then paramedics to resuscitate the teenager, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.59pm.
Police found Xu in the kitchen, having cut his own throat. He was treated at University Hospital of Wales before being arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Mr Jones described how £900 was found in Xu’s pockets, as well as Wenjing’s mobile phone and keys.
He said: ‘The defendant therefore had taken from Wenjing in death her purse, keys and mobile phone.’
Mr Jiang was also taken to hospital with ‘significant and multiple injuries’.
The defendant denies the charges against him, but admitted to the manslaughter of Wenjing and unlawfully wounding Mr Jiang.
He will be accompanied by an interpreter throughout the two-week trial.
A jury of six men and five women were sworn in by His Honour Judge PH Thomas QC at Merthyr Crown Court.
Xu stood in the dock wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a jumper and spoke only to confirm his name and give his pleas.
Ms Xu attended court with an interpreter and rested her head on the chair in front of her as the jury was taken through pictures including of Wenjing, and her partner’s injuries.
The jurors were also shown bodyworn camera footage of armed police entering the property and of officers inspecting the scene.
Videos and images of the room where Mr Jiang was attacked showed blood covering the floor and freezers.
A statement from Wenjing’s teacher Rhiannon Davies was read to the court.
Ms Davies, who oversaw Wenjing’s Year 11 at Treorchy Comprehensive School, described her as an ‘exceptional’ and ‘hard working’ student.
‘Even on the day of her death I was made aware she had logged in for a maths lesson early in the morning,’ Ms Davies said.
‘She was a fantastic student and is sorely missed.’
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