The Australian
written by Rick Morton
Wednesday December 19, 2012
The man accused of murdering five members of his extended family, Robert Xie, has been committed to stand trial for the crime that shocked Sydney and became known simply as "the Lin family murders".
Magistrate John Andrews said there was a reasonable chance a reasonable jury would be satisfied he had committed the July 18, 2009 murders.
Mr Xie, 48, smiled and waved to his sister at Sydney's Central Local Court this morning before the judge made his decision.
Min "Norman" Lin, 45, Yun Li "Lily" Lin, 43, her sister Yun Bin "Irene" Lin, 39 and their two sons Henry and Terry aged nine and 12 were beaten across the head with a blunt weapon, with a flat face like a hammer and allegedly wrapped to dull the noise.
The weapon was never found.
Daughter Brenda Lin, 15 at the time, was the only surviving member of the family because she was away on a school trip at the time of the attack.
Mr Xie told the court through an interpreter that he did not wish to say anything in relation to the charges, nor present any new evidence or witnesses.
The Crown said the evidence for the murders was "compelling" when taken cumulatively while Mr Xie's Defence submitted the case was based on "speculation, conjecture and suspicion".
Mr Xie says he and his wife Kathy found the bodies of the Lin family about 9.30am on Saturday July 18, the morning after they'd enjoyed a family dinner that was described as "harmonious".
Throughout the course of the investigation it emerged Mr Xie's home had been under warranted video surveillance and his phones tapped.
One of the key pieces of evidence that emerged throughout the committal were shoe-prints and impressions, some in blood, and video of Mr Xie destroying what appeared to be shoe boxes after his wife Kathy was told by investigators of the development.
The trial will begin in the new year.
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