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Mystery surrounds last movements of NSW blowhole murder victim Blowhole murder: Man charged over death of international student
(about 20 hours later)
Michelle Leng said goodbye to her friends at a central Sydney bus stop, went shopping at Pitt Street Mall and grabbed a juice for the train ride home to Campsie. A 27-year-old man will appear in a New South Wales court charged with the murder of international student Michelle Leng, whose naked body was found floating face down in a blowhole on the state’s Central Coast last weekend.
Three days later her naked body was found floating face down in a blowhole at Snapper Point on the NSW central coast. She had been stabbed numerous times. Police say the man, whom Fairfax Media have identified as Leng’s uncle, was arrested and charged on Friday and has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday.
The 25-year-old from Chengdu in China, who also went by the name Mengmei, moved to Sydney five years ago and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Technology, Sydney, last year. Police have also appealed for help in establishing Leng’s final movements.
CCTV footage from last Thursday afternoon showed Leng riding the escalators inside the Myer store on Pitt Street wearing a grey long-sleeved top, black pants and black and white sneakers. They say the 25-year-old, whose body was found at Snapper Point last Sunday, had been stabbed numerous times in a violent attack.
She was then seen walking through the St James train station turnstile carrying her shopping bags and a takeaway juice before arriving at Campsie station at 4.30pm, her last known whereabouts. Originally from Chengdu in China, Leng also went by the name Mengmei and moved to Sydney five years ago where she completed a Bachelors degree in business at the University of Technology Sydney.
CCTV footage from last Thursday afternoon shows her walking through St James train station carrying her shopping bags and a takeaway juice before arriving at Campsie Station at 4.30pm, her last known whereabouts.
Leng never turned up to the Campsie house where she lived with her aunt and uncle. They reported her missing on Monday and a concerned friend posted images of her on Chinese social media site Weibo the following day.Leng never turned up to the Campsie house where she lived with her aunt and uncle. They reported her missing on Monday and a concerned friend posted images of her on Chinese social media site Weibo the following day.
When police released a computer-generated image of the deceased woman found at Snapper Point, many people suggested it could be Leng and began posting RIP messages on social media.When police released a computer-generated image of the deceased woman found at Snapper Point, many people suggested it could be Leng and began posting RIP messages on social media.
Her body was formally identified through DNA testing on Friday.Her body was formally identified through DNA testing on Friday.
Police want to speak to anyone who might have seen or spoken to Leng over the Anzac Day long weekend.Police want to speak to anyone who might have seen or spoken to Leng over the Anzac Day long weekend.
“I think if anyone knows anything about this – it’s like a piece to a jigsaw puzzle – if you’ve got any information as to her movements, come forward,” Det Ch Insp Gary Jubelin told reporters in Sydney on Friday.“I think if anyone knows anything about this – it’s like a piece to a jigsaw puzzle – if you’ve got any information as to her movements, come forward,” Det Ch Insp Gary Jubelin told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
He revealed Leng had been communicating with friends until the late hours of Thursday night and speculated she might have planned to meet up with someone she had met online.He revealed Leng had been communicating with friends until the late hours of Thursday night and speculated she might have planned to meet up with someone she had met online.
“There’s a lot of speculation through social media about her activities – at this stage they’re lines of inquiry we’re following up,” Jubelin said. “She was a very responsible young lady and it was out of character for her not to stay in contact with people close to her.”“There’s a lot of speculation through social media about her activities – at this stage they’re lines of inquiry we’re following up,” Jubelin said. “She was a very responsible young lady and it was out of character for her not to stay in contact with people close to her.”
Her family, including her brother and mother in China, are devastated.Her family, including her brother and mother in China, are devastated.
“Speaking to the brother, he was shocked by it and in a lot of pain, so they’re dealing with it as best they can, but it’s a very sad situation,” Jubelin said.“Speaking to the brother, he was shocked by it and in a lot of pain, so they’re dealing with it as best they can, but it’s a very sad situation,” Jubelin said.