PHOTO: Missing person Yanfei Bao. NZ POLICE
A man who was previously accused of abducting Yanfei Bao, a real estate agent who went missing, is set to face an additional charge of murder today in the Christchurch High Court.
The individual, a 52-year-old resident of Bryndwr, had initially been charged with kidnapping Bao. Following his initial court appearance on July 24, where he was remanded in custody, more details emerged about his arrest. He had been apprehended at Christchurch International Airport on July 22, carrying no luggage and holding a one-way ticket to China.
Yanfei Bao: Pursuit of Christchurch real estate agent enters a ‘paused’ phase
Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves revealed that the man, currently under name suppression, will now face a new murder charge. The police, actively investigating Bao’s disappearance, are reaching out to the public for information regarding specific items – a tracksuit top and a spade. Images of these items have been released, and authorities believe they were discarded in the Christchurch area between approximately noon on July 19 and 5 pm on July 22. Notably, the spade is newly acquired. People with information are encouraged to contact the police through 105 or online via the reference file number 230720/5911.
Meanwhile, the Specialist Search Group will resume searches on farmland in Greenpark, located south of Christchurch, as part of the ongoing inquiry. “Our commitment to locating Ms. Bao and reuniting her with her family remains steadfast,” Reeves emphasized.
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The man alleged to have committed the murder had been driving a silver Mitsubishi sedan, which had attracted police attention. The vehicle was discovered parked near the airport on the same day of his arrest. Yanfei Bao was last seen on July 19 at 16 Trevor St in Hornby, where she had a meeting with a prospective client.
Around 11:16 am, she contacted a friend named Jin Tian on the Chinese social media platform WeChat. Bao’s query to Tian involved the process of transferring $600,000 from China to purchase a house for a Chinese buyer residing in Christchurch. Bao did not disclose any details about the immigration status of the client she was assisting. Shortly after 12:30 pm, her silver Nissan car vanished from the street.
On the same day, two residents spotted a car owned by the 52-year-old man facing kidnapping charges parked further down the street. The silver Mitsubishi, registered as DPH101, appeared to be parked at an odd angle. One resident recalled seeing the car around 12:25 pm.
According to sources, the man accused of kidnapping had been in New Zealand since March and might have been introduced to Bao through a desire to purchase a house for his relatives in China.
