Hotel room remains sealed off

Police want to speak to four women seen on the corner of Wellesley St and Elliott St. Picture / Dean Purcell

Almost a week after the killing of Chinese student Wan Biao, the hotel room at the centre of the murder inquiry remains sealed off and the rest of the floor has been cleared of guests.

Police have refused to name the hotel where the 19-year-old was allegedly murdered but the Herald understands it is the Elliott St Apartment Hotel in central Auckland.

A police forensic team has sealed off Room 408. A sign on the door tells people not to enter and to call police if they need to get into the room for any reason.

Police have confirmed they are still investigating the murder of Mr Wan, whose body was found last Friday folded into a suitcase that had been dumped in the Waitemata Harbour.

They say Mr Wan was lured to an Auckland hotel and murdered there but have refused to name the hotel, citing commercial reasons.

Police have made numerous appeals to four well-dressed European women seen on the corner of Wellesley and Elliott streets at 3.25am on Good Friday, directly outside the Elliott St Apartment Hotel.

It is believed the women saw the suitcase containing Mr Wan's body and will be able to help police with their inquiries.

Yesterday a 21-year-old man who police said had studied with Mr Wan at an Auckland language school appeared in the Auckland District Court charged with his kidnapping and murder.

The charges allege the accused man "and an unnamed person" detained Mr Wan with the intent to hold him for ransom, and murdered him.

Detective Inspector Bernie Hollewand said outside the court that the police investigation was continuing. Mark Ryan, lawyer for the murder accused, said his client would plead not guilty.

A second man, also 21, has been charged with being an accessory after the fact by allegedly tampering with evidence.

He had studied with Mr Wan but was now unemployed.

Both men were granted name suppression until the end of June and are being held in custody without entering a plea.

The accused men flatted with up to three others in a Hobson St apartment which was still being examined yesterday by police.

Mr Wan's body was found just hours after a call was made to his parents in China demanding an $800,000 ransom.

Police allege he was killed and stuffed into a suitcase which was thrown from the end of Princes Wharf.

It drifted towards the Harbour Bridge before it was found at 9.40am.

Two aunts, an uncle and a cousin of Mr Wan are arranging travel documents to come to New Zealand to collect his body.

Mr Wan arrived here last August and most recently had studied at the Oxford International Academy in Queen St.