What allegedly happened to the woman who was fished out of Gulf Harbour revealed as ‘Lord’ and ‘Queen’ face trial

Monday, 25 May 2026

Shulai Wang’s body was found by a fisherman on March 23, 2024 wrapped in multiple layers of black bin bags.

Months later, Kaixiao Liu and his wife Lanyue Xiao were arrested and charged in connection to Wang’s death.

Liu’s mother Xiuyun Li and his father, Jingui Liu are also charged with manslaughter.

Warning: This article contains details that may distress readers

Seeking religious teaching, a 70-year-old woman travelled from China to New Zealand only to allegedly live in conditions of “practical servitude” to a man who called himself ‘Lord’ and his family. She tried to escape. In March 2024, her dead body, concealed in bin bags, was pulled from Auckland’s Gulf Harbour by an unsuspecting fisherman.

What is alleged to have happened to Shulai Wang, 70, can now be reported as the trial against those accused of causing her death has begun at the High Court at Auckland.

Empty 10kg bags of rice led police to Kaixiao Liu, 38, and his Orewa home. Soon after he and his wife Lanyue Xiao, 38, were arrested and charged in connection to Wang’s death and her kidnapping.

Liu’s mother Xiuyun Li, 63, and his father, Jingui Liu, 65, are also charged with manslaughter and kidnapping.

The defendants are all representing themselves and have pleaded not guilty to all charges. Experienced criminal defence lawyers have been appointed by Justice Mathew Downs to assist as standby counsel.

A fisherman’s discovery and bags of rice

In opening the Crown case to the jury on Monday, prosecutor Emma Kerr said the fisherman who cast his line out to sea on March 12, 2024 hooked onto an object floating in the water.

Paul Middleton, who is set to give evidence this week, opened up the black plastic rubbish bags and noticed some clothing. He then saw a hand.

Middleton dialled 111 and the police arrived. Middleton’s discovery’s would launch a homicide investigation dubbed Operation Pasrade. The investigation spanned many months and went international before the body was identified as 70-year-old Shulai Wang.

Kerr said Wang’s body was folded into the fetal position with black tape wrapped around her head, wrists and body. Effectively binding her into a ball.

Two large rice bags had been filled with stones and were taped to her.

Police were focused on what happened to her, who she was and finding the person or persons who had allegedly disposed of her.

All three of those questions were answered during the course of the investigation, Kerr said.

The Crown said the two 10kg rice bags were key pieces of evidence that led police to the defendants.

Police eventually came across an “unusually large amount” of rice purchased by one customer – Kaixiao Liu.

Further enquiries by police identified a white Mercedes van – owned by Liu.

CCTV footage from Gulf Harbour marina on the evening of March 8, 2024 had uncovered a group of up to five people, including children, walking between the van and a flood gate bridge.

This was another thread police uncovered that linked what allegedly happened to Wang to Xiao and Liu, the Crown said.

On June 30, 2024, Liu, Xiao and their youngest child were at Auckland International Airport with return tickets to China. The pair were arrested and charged with misconduct in respect of human remains.

Lord, Queen and The Ark

How Shulai Wang ended up in New Zealand is an important part of the Crown case.

After Liu and Xiao were arrested at the airport, police went to an Orewa address and executed a search warrant.

When police arrived at the home, they found 11 other people – Liu’s parents, their four young children and five other women.

The occupants only spoke Mandarin and the women refused to speak to police with the assistance of interpreters.

Some of the women clasped their hands together in prayer and smiled.

But one woman briefly spoke to the officers. This was the next clue for police, Kerr said.

She told police she had arrived from China with another woman – a woman she said was no longer here. Police were then able to identify that woman to be Shulai Wang.

Wang and her family in China had been part of a group of at least 37 family groups who followed Liu. She had travelled to New Zealand to receive religious instruction and live with Liu.

The Crown’s case is Wang and the other women lived in conditions of practical servitude to Liu and his family. His wife also referred to herself as ‘Queen’ while his parents also enjoyed elevated status in the house, the Crown said.

At the Ark, there was a “point system” and Wang – the oldest woman of the house had not been obeying the house rules before her death, the Crown said.

An attempt to escape

In early March 2024, Wang was punished for alleged violations of the rules. Food was withheld and she was confined or locked in a tent outside the house on March 6.

After she attempted to escape over the fence to a neighbouring property, the Crown said was likely bound with tape and her wrists tied together.

Further evidence uncovered that when she screamed her mouth was taped and she was put in a suitcase, the Crown said.

A diary entry by Li, found by police, said there was no more sound coming from Wang.

Kerr said throughout the police investigation, the police uncovered journal entries and recordings of life at the Ark.

Liu delivered regular sessions of instruction and worship – something that his followers would agree with. He characterised Wang as cunning, a threat to God’s family, a traitor and claimed she had killed herself.

The Crown case is that while, Liu led the discussions, the three other defendants contributed when the plans for Wang’s treatment was carried out. This was all uncovered on a recording, Kerr said.

The Crown said the defendants caused her death either by an unlawful act and/or by failing to provide the necessaries for life.

Once Wang died, the defendants worked together, under Liu’s lead, to dispose of her body.

They all agreed to keep a low profile and repeated the story when there was media coverage about the discovery of the body.

Before the couple were arrested, between July and August, the husband and wife communicated with Wang’s son in China and told him she had wished to be buried at sea after dying of natural causes. The son then gave false information to the Chinese police. In relation to this alleged action, Liu and Xiao are facing a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Liu is also accused of refusing to provide police a pin number to his phone.

‘We want to find out the truth’

All four defendants, who are representing themselves, made brief opening statements.

Kaixiao Liu was interrupted twice by Justice Downs who reminded him to keep to the issues.

“We want to find out the truth, we have been trying and asking people who may know the truth,” Liu said.

He said he had almost no contact with Wang and had tried to speak to the other residents of the home.

“I questioned them and encouraged them in [a] difficult time. I wanted them to tell me the truth, but everyone give [sic] different answers. I was very disappointed.”

Lui said this case was like an American series and at this stage it was not known who “the bad guy” was.

His wife, Lanyue Xiao, asked the jury to carefully examine the Crown’s narrative and said there was a possibility of misinterpreting evidence.

Jingui Liu thanked the jury.

“I do believe you will do justice.”

Standby counsel, Phil Hamlin, acting for Li, told the jury she had no intent to kidnap or hold Wang against her will. She also had no intent to cause her harm or anything that resulted in Wang’s death.

The trial before Justice Mathew Downs and a jury continues.