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LOS ANGELES - The American public, horrified by new surveillance footage of a laughing Nai Xin Xue, has breathed new life into the hunt for the New Zealand fugitive, with authorities announcing they believe he remains on the run in the US.
Fresh sightings and information about the accused killer is being analysed by the FBI, US Marshals and American police after crime fighting TV show America's Most Wanted aired a segment on Xue in the US on Saturday night.
Allegations he killed his wife, together with surveillance footage of a gleeful Xue giving the thumbs up to unsuspecting Melbourne airport security staff just hours after he dumped his three-year-old daughter at a train station, struck a chord with American viewers.
America's Most Wanted also aired the footage of little Qian Xun, dubbed "Pumpkin", standing alone at the Melbourne railway station.
"There's been some reaction and we still have leads coming in," US Marshals chief inspector in Los Angeles, Tom Hession, told AAP today.
Due to the sensitive nature of the hunt, Hession declined to reveal specific details about the fresh leads.
There were fears Xue may have fled across the border to Mexico or used a fake airport to travel to China, but Hession said all of the new leads pointed to Xue remaining within the US borders.
"The show didn't generate any information otherwise," Hession said.
"Until we have information he has left the US, we're going on the premise he is still here."
Xue is accused of killing his wife, Anan Liu, in Auckland in September and stuffing her body in the boot of his car parked outside the couple's home.
Xue then allegedly flew with his daughter from Auckland to Melbourne, where he abandoned her at Southern Cross railway station.
Footage of the jovial Xue giving the thumbs up to Melbourne airport security was shot on September 15, just before he boarded the flight to Los Angeles. When he passed through the US immigration checkpoint at LA international airport, a worldwide alert for his arrest had not been triggered.
Hession said the delay hurt his officers' ability to track Xue down.
"We didn't get involved until four or five days until after he was here," Hession said.
"Anytime someone has a head start, it leads to issues.
"Some people you catch in a day, others take years.
"We won't stop looking."
The surveillance footage of Xue and his abandoned daughter also shook up experienced lawmen used to dealing with horrific crimes, Hession said.
"He left her and walked away," Hession said.
"He doesn't turn around, doesn't look to see if she was OK.
"He didn't care.
"He just left her.
"That hits home for everybody, whether they are in the US, Australia or New Zealand.
"We are not sparing any of our resources to find him."
- AAP
