Gulf Harbour homicide: Three charged with kidnapping and manslaughter
· RNZThree people have been charged with kidnapping and manslaughter in relation to the death of a woman found wrapped in plastic in Auckland's Gulf Harbour seven months ago.
The body of 70-year-old Chinese woman Shulai Wang was found in a black rubbish bag in the water in Gulf Harbour on 12 March, but her identity wasn't revealed until October.
A man and two women have now been charged with her kidnapping and manslaughter.
The trio were arrested at an Ōrewa address on Thursday morning, acting detective inspector Tim Williams said.
Two of the people arrested, a 37-year-old man and 36-year-old woman faced additional charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice and providing false immigration information.
The man also faced a single additional charge of failing to carry out obligations under the search and surveillance act.
The second woman, 61, did not face additional charges beyond kidnapping and manslaughter.
The trio were in custody and would appear in North Shore District Court on Friday.
It had taken thousands of hours of investigation work to get to this place in the investigation, Williams said.
Police had been helped by NZ Customs and Immigration NZ to piece together who Wang was and what happened to her.
The investigation was far from over, Williams said, and police were working with Chinese officials to keep Wang's family updated.
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