Leader of fringe New Zealand religious group jailed over 70-year-old follower’s death

The leader of a fringe religious group in New Zealand has been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail over the death of a 70-year-old woman who had travelled from China to live in his house called the “Ark”.

Kaixiao Liu, 39, was sentenced to 10 years and five months at the high court in Auckland after being convicted of manslaughter and kidnapping in connection with the death of 70-year-old Shulai Wang.

His 38-year-old wife, Lanyue Xiao, was also sentenced to seven years and 11 months in prison.

They ran a religious community at home, and besides Liu’s parents, there were six women from China, including Wang, who the judge said “remained here illegally”.

Wang, from China’s Hainan province, arrived in New Zealand in August 2023 and subsequently lived with Liu, Xiao, and other women at their home, which was called the Ark, in Orewa in the north of Auckland, local media reported.

The prosecution described the household as tightly controlled, with the women expected to follow Liu’s rules and refer to him as “lord” or “master”.

Wang was said to have spent much of her time caring for Liu’s children, studying religious texts, and working in the garden. Court proceedings heard that she struggled with some of the household’s “suffocatingly strict” requirements and was repeatedly punished.

In March 2024, Wang attempted to leave but was captured and restrained. Prosecutors said she was held for about 38 hours, her food and water was withheld, and her mouth taped shut to prevent her from screaming, 1News reported.

She died later that day. Her body was subsequently transported to Gulf Harbour, where it was concealed near a marina. Liu took his children on the trip, with the court hearing that they were used “as camouflage”.

Wang’s remains were discovered days later after a fisherman found the body near the marina at Gulf Harbour. She had been wrapped in bags and rice sacks.

Police eventually connected the packaging to Liu after investigating his unusually large purchases of the particular rice brand used to conceal the body.

Justice Mathew Downs described Liu as the ringleader and said he had shown “callous indifference” towards Wang.

“Because of you, Ms Wang died a lonely, frightening death. You display no remorse whatsoever. You should feel shame.”

The judge said Liu had made the major decisions surrounding Wang’s detention and punishment, making him more culpable than his wife.