A defendant in the Gulf Harbour body trial has described her actions following a woman's death as a panic response, while denying charges of kidnapping and manslaughter.
The body of 70-year-old Shulai Wang was discovered by a fisherman in Gulf Harbour on 12 March 2024, wrapped in plastic bags. Four family members are charged with her kidnapping and manslaughter: Kaixiao Liu, who identifies as a religious group leader; his wife Lanyue Xiao; and his parents Xiuyun Li and Jingui Liu.
Prosecutors allege Wang died on 7 March after attempting to flee the defendants' Ōrewa home the day before. Crown prosecutor Henry Steele told the court Wang was restrained with tape over her mouth and a towel forced inside it, potentially confined to a suitcase following her escape attempt. The Crown alleges she died from suffocation and being deprived of food, water and medical care.
Xiao delivered her own closing statement, calling Wang's death "a profound and irreversible family tragedy" and saying she felt "deep remorse". She told the jury "a panic decision made after a tragedy does not equal to kidnapping and manslaughter", though she did not elaborate on what that decision was.
Xiao argued prosecutors had not established a definitive cause of death or shown evidence of violent injury before Wang died. Pathologist Dr Kilak Kesha testified no anatomical cause of death was found—meaning no physical injuries or disease caused Wang's death. Kesha identified bruises on Wang's face, wrist and arm that could have come from a fall, and did not rule out suffocation or asphyxiation.
Liu's standby lawyer Nick Leader denied all five charges against his client, arguing Liu was trying to help Wang by immobilising her to aid healing. Documents and recordings recovered from the property reference Wang's 6 March escape, including jumping a fence into a neighbour's yard before being returned.
Liu and Xiao face an additional charge of attempting to pervert justice by coaching Wang's son to give false testimony. Three defendants are charged with offering an indignity to a dead body. Liu's parents are scheduled to deliver their closing statements on Wednesday.