DNA ‘Plan B’ to beat murder charge

Lian Bin "Robert" Xie and his wife Kathy Lin in a file picture. Photo: Danielle Smith

The man accused of murdering five members of the Lin family allegedly had "numerous" conversations about the crime with a fellow prison inmate who gained his trust, telling him where he bought the hammer and rope used in the attack and where they were hidden, a court has heard.

The accused murderer and his fellow inmate allegedly referred to the scheme as Plan B a bold strategy that was only to be pursued if "things go really bad".

But the NSW Supreme Court heard on Monday that one of the men was playing a very different game.

Lian Bin Robert Xie is on trial for the murder of Min "Norman" Lin, 45; Mr Lins wife, Yun "Lily" Li Lin, 44; their sons Henry, 12, and Terry, 9; and Ms Lin's sister, Yun Bin "Irene" Yin, 39, in Boundary Road, Epping, in the early hours of July 18, 2009.

Advertisement

The court heard on Monday that, after being arrested, the 50-year-old was caught in a carefully planned police sting designed to flush out vital information about his involvement in the crime.

Crown prosecutor Mark Tedeschi, QC, told the jury that a prisoninmate, known as "Witness A",would give evidence about 21 separate conversations he had with Mr Xie over the course of 18 months they spent in neighbouring cells inLongBayjail from mid-2011.

These allegedly included discussions about two plots - both known as 'Plan B' - by which Mr Xie would allegedlyframe dead people for the murdersby planting theirDNAat the crime scene or on amurder weapon.

The court heard that Witness A told the accused killer that he had a contact inside a funeral parlour called "Harry" who could find a body whoseDNAcould be put on the murder weapon, the location of which would then be leaked to police.

Read the original here:
DNA 'Plan B' to beat murder charge