Chinese woman Shulai Wang might have been detained in a suitcase found in the defendants' garage before she died, a forensic scientist says.
Lucy Xia & Liu Chen of RNZ
More evidence has also been heard about a blood-stained foam board found at the defendants' Orewa home.
The body of the 70-year-old was found wrapped in layers of rubbish bags in Gulf Harbour by a fisherman two years ago.
The Crown says Wang came to New Zealand to seek religious instructions from Kaixiao Liu, who along with his wife Lanyue Xiao, mother Xiuyun Li and father Jingui Liu have denied the kidnapping and manslaughter of Wang.
The blood stains
Rian Morgan-Smith from Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) – formerly known as Environmental Science and Research (ESR) – visited the defendants' Orewa house with police in July 2024.
He said a tent was found pitched on the deck, and bags of garden stones were also found, which were then compared to those found on Wang.
The court heard earlier that items of interest to the police included the tent, and suitcases and large boxes found in the garage, and a singlet similar to the one on Wang which was found in a rubbish bag.
Crown prosecutor Henry Steele asked Morgan-Smith: "Because of the situation that Ms Wang might have be detained in a suitcase or similar in the garage area?"
"Correct," Morgan-Smith answered.
Earlier, the court also heard that in the tent, the police found a pram, a porta-cot wrapped in a plastic bag, together with another plastic bag containing some foam boards, a mattress, and a blue plastic sheet.
Morgan-Smith said no blood stains were found on the porta-cot itself.
However, the two foam boards were attached by Blu Tack, and an area of blood stains measuring 30-40cm square was found when the boards were pulled apart, although no blood was found on the outer surface, he said.
He said the blood stains could be from vomiting.
The foam boards were referred to as "base" in the court exhibits, and the Crown said earlier that the base insert of a porta-cot was stained by blood.
Morgan-Smith also said damage found on the blood-stained foam board appeared to be the result of something rubbing across the surface of the board when it was soft or wet.
"May indicate some attempt at cleaning the blood on the board," he said.
Morgan-Smith said the laundry area in the garage was also luminol tested for the presence of blood, and while four small areas had a positive reaction, further testing for blood was inconclusive.
Morgan-Smith said two vehicles on the property - including the white Mercedes van that police have linked to Liu through CCTV footage at the Gulf Harbour Marina and at a petrol station - were tested for biological evidence and blood stains, but no blood staining was visible in the van.
Morgan-Smith said there was "no anatomical cause of death".
Earlier the Crown also claimed that Wang was locked up in a tent and denied food and medication before her death.
During Kaixiao Liu's cross-examination of Morgan-Smith, he asked if inconclusive blood test results won't be recorded as evidence of blood.
Morgan-Smith said "correct".
During questions by Liu, Morgan-Smith confirmed he could not tell the age of the blood stains.
Liu asked Morgan-Smith if his role is to assist with police enquiries, but not to determine whether police theory was true or untrue. Morgan-Smith said "correct".
The arrest
Detective Sergeant Mark Renfree said he was involved in the arrest of Liu and Xiao at the Auckland International Airport on 30 June 2024 after receiving an alert from the Customs.
Renfree said when he asked for Liu's personal details, including his address, Liu gave an address in Royal Oak.
When officers conducted a second search warrant at Liu's house in Orewa two months later at the end of August, police asked for the passwords to digital devices found in the house, but Liu did not provide that, Renfree said.
"He told me he was tired, he hadn't had much sleep and he had a headache," Renfree said.
When requested again, Liu still declined to comply, he said.
Liu also asked about the police's surveillance devices placed at this house, including when it was placed, and Renfree said he could not specify.
Another police officer Liwei Guo also gave evidence and said Liu was given plenty of opportunities, but failed to provide the passwords.
Guo said he recalled Liu said to him: "Please help us. This is a devastating blow to us".
Liu was also charged for failing to carry out obligations in relation to computer system search.
The trial continues at the Auckland High Court.
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