Killer who shoved victim's body in suitcase jailed for life

Peng Cheng Tian stabbed his friend to death. Photo / Paul Estcourt

It started as an argument over money between friends and ended with a body in a suitcase and a blood-soaked bedroom.

Peng Cheng Tian, 25, was sentenced in the High Court at Auckland yesterday for the murder of Yi Ren, 30, at her inner-city Auckland apartment in September 2008.

He was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years.

Tian was found guilty of the frenzied attack that left Ms Ren with stab wounds to her chest and arms, as well as a severe cut to her scalp.

Tian was friends with Ms Ren and her boyfriend but the relationship soured after a business deal over two cars went wrong.

Tian and Ms Ren's boyfriend, Wei He, had arranged to buy a Lexus and a Peugeot from a dealer in Singapore.

They paid $4500 each as a deposit for the cars, but the Lexus was apparently damaged at the port in Singapore and the Peugeot was sent to another country.

On the morning of September 2, 2008, Tian went to Ms Ren's apartment to confront her about the money.

The Crown said Tian had planned the attack which included bringing a "murder kit" to the apartment.

Inside a bag were two knives, a hammer, plastic bags and gloves.

He backed Ms Ren into her bedroom and stabbed her repeatedly, leaving her dead.

His thumb was partially severed in the attack.

Tian then stuffed her body into a suitcase to try to move it from the scene.

Crown prosecutor Sam Wimsett told the court yesterday that Tian deserved 12 to 13 years without the chance of parole because of the frenzied attack, the fact that it took place in the sanctity of Ms Ren's bedroom and the "indignity" that Tian had subjected her body to.

But Tian's lawyer Paul Davison, QC, said it was not Tian who had caused the fatal blows to Ms Ren.

Mr Davison said it was Tian's friend Jing Zhang, also known as Michael, who had a vendetta against Ms Ren and had come to the apartment and stabbed Ms Ren in the chest twice.

He said the fight started with Ms Ren drawing a knife and cutting Tian's thumb before backing him into her bedroom.

Mr Davison said Tian had put Ms Ren's body in a suitcase because he panicked.

He said Tian was remorseful for his role in the attack.

"Even now he finds it difficult to understand how he became involved in physical contact with her where knives were used," Mr Davison said.

Justice Douglas White said Ms Ren's murder had left her family and friends distraught.

He quoted from the victim-impact statement of Ms Ren's boyfriend, who she had been planning to marry.

"Her death has turned his life into hell and his dreams into painful memories," Justice White said.

Ms Ren's sister, Yue Ren, said in her victim impact statement that Tian had been treated like a brother.

She told the court that her father had developed a heart condition and her mother now had a disease of the brain.

"The doctor said the constant crying had caused a lack of oxygen to her brain," Justice White quoted.

In passing his sentence, he said he could not be sure beyond reasonable doubt that Tian had gone to the apartment to kill Ms Ren, but he doubted Ms Ren had attacked him first.

Justice White said Tian had subjected Ms Ren's body to an indignity by stuffing her into a suitcase.

"No other explanation has been provided for why you did so, so I accept you considered disposing of her body to hide your crime," he said.

"You killed your friend, panicked and tried to cover your tracks irrationally and ineffectively."