A man who strangled his wife in Auckland and then abandoned their three-year-old daughter at a Melbourne train station before fleeing to the United States has been denied parole for the seventh time.
Nai Yin Xue killed his wife, An An Liu, in 2007 and left her body in the boot of their family car in Mt Roskill, Auckland.
He then travelled to Australia with their daughter, who became known as "Pumpkin" after being found alone at a train station wearing Pumpkin Patch-branded clothing.
Following an international manhunt, Xue was arrested in the United States and deported to New Zealand in March 2008 to face murder charges.
In 2009, the High Court in Auckland heard Xue was violent and jealous, and believed his wife was involved with another man. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 12 years.
At a Parole Board hearing on Monday, Xue – dressed in a grey T-shirt and flanked by prison and Corrections staff – told the panel he had been working outside the wire as a painter and was involved in church activities.
"I also did further soul searching of the offences I committed," Xue said through a Mandarin interpreter.
He said he had learned in prison to stay calm and control his temper.
"I have strong determination this is something I will never commit in my life again. And I will become a very law-abiding person."
Concerns about truthfulness
At his previous hearing in February, the board raised concerns about Xue’s truthfulness and his lack of explanation for the killing.
Asked this time about his plans if released, Xue said he wanted to focus on art and contribute to the church community.
"What I’m attracted to the most is oil painting, and this is something I would like to do," he said.
The board declined parole, citing the need for a detailed release plan, including suitable accommodation.
Xue’s lawyer, Michael Kan, told the panel his client had no support in New Zealand and would require assistance from Corrections to secure housing.
Xue will next appear before the Parole Board in September 2026.
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