Autopsy results out on 2 slain farmers

The autopsy conducted on the two slain Chinese farmers showed that one of the victims had a skull fracture while the other died due to several wounds on his neck.

In a news briefing yesterday, Department of Public Safety commissioner James C. Deleon Guerrero also disclosed that they have a person of interest who has been cooperating with investigators and that three recent double homicides involving Chinese nationals are now being treated as a single investigation.

Department of Public Safety Commissioner James C. Deleon Guerrero explains the results of the autopsy conducted on two slain Chinese farmers as DPS police spokesman Travis Hurst listens during a press briefing yesterday afternoon. (Ferdie de la Torre)

Guam chief medical examiner Dr. Aurelio Espinola did the autopsy on Hai Ren Li, 51, and Cheng You Li, 47, at the Commonwealth Health Center’s morgue on Saturday morning.

Deleon Guerrero said Espinola concluded that Hai Ren Li’s cause of death was from a skull fracture due to blunt force trauma.

Deleon Guerrero said Espinola concluded that Cheng You Li’s cause of death was due to multiple lacerations and wounds inflicted primarily on his neck.

“DPS is working diligently in gathering as much information as possible in order to bring resolution to this case and to apprehend those responsible,” the commissioner said.

He said DPS continues to ask for the support of community members in sharing details that might be relevant to this case.

With respect to the investigation into the farmers’ murder, Deleon Guerrero said, “Clearly there’s no secret” that there is one person of interest.

“That person is cooperating with law enforcement and is providing whatever information the law enforcement requires him to provide,” the commissioner said. He refused to elaborate so as not to jeopardize the investigation.

Deleon Guerrero also revealed that at this point they are consolidating all three double homicides as part of the overall investigation.

The bodies of Hai Ren Li and his brother-in-law, Cheng Yu Li, were found at the old airport runway in Koblerville last Nov. 2, two days after they were last seen.

The bodies of couple Guo Huang Xu and Qing Xiu Zheng were found charred in their house that was razed to the ground by fire last Feb. 23. Investigators determined that the house was deliberately set on fire.

On Dec. 8, 2012, couple Jun Li Yang and Jing Liu were found murdered inside their home in San Vicente.

Deleon Guerrero said the consolidation of the investigation is quite important because of the sheer brutality of these three senseless murders.

“We are doing the best we can to pursue all leads and whatever information the department has been getting in the past few days,” he said.

It is not that there is anything to suggest that the same persons committed the three double homicides, he said, but that it does raise suspicions as to the manner the murders were committed.

He said it is only wise and appropriate to start looking into individuals mentioned in the investigation to see how they are tied together to the three cases.

“We are getting good help as it is now,” Deleon Guerrero said, referring to Federal Bureau of Investigation and other federal law enforcement units.

He said they have some leads but as to whether or not they are good leads, these are things that have yet to be seen as there’s a lot of work in progress.

“Our investigators are working day and night interviewing and verifying all these leads,” the commissioner said.

At present, Deleon Guerrero said, they are committing more than 70 percent of their investigative resources strictly to just pursuing whatever leads that come before the department. He said they also sought the assistance of federal law enforcement partners.

Deleon Guerrero conceded that there seems to be a general feeling within the Chinese community that the three cases have not been prioritized by DPS because the victims are Chinese nationals but he assured that the CNMI, being part of the American family, does not and will not support any policy that discriminates against anyone based on ethnicity.

Deleon Guerrero said it is a top priority for all DPS personnel to solve these three homicides and that DPS wants to continue its dialogue with the Chinese community.

Deleon Guerrero appealed for patience from the Chinese community, citing that murder investigations take a great deal of time and resources in order for investigators to make sure they have enough evidence so the government can proceed with successful prosecution.

“It is important that we get it right,” he added.