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Profiler to probe torture murders Double murder probe CCTV released
(about 2 hours later)
Police investigating the murder of a Chinese couple at a Newcastle flat are bringing in an offender profiler to help find a motive for the killings. CCTV images showing the last known movements of a woman, who was murdered along with her boyfriend at a flat, have been released by police.
Zhen Xing Yang and Xi Zhou, both 25, died after a "frenzied" knife attack in a flat in the city's West End. Xi Zhou and Zhen Xing Yang, both 25, died after a "frenzied" knife attack in a flat in Newcastle's West End.
Detectives are also working to see if their murders are connected to any others in the UK. The images show Miss Xi on a bus and walking towards the home she shared with Mr Zhen in Croydon Road.
A cat's body, found hidden under a sink in the flat, may also provide clues, officers say. Detectives have now also brought in an offender profiler to help establish a motive for the killings.
Det Supt Steve Wade, leading the investigation, said: "What I don't understand and what I don't really know at the moment is to whether there's any significance in respect of the crime scene. The bodies of the victims, from China, were found at the downstairs flat on Saturday afternoon.
Extensive bruising Xi Zhou and her boyfriend Zhen Xing Yang studied at Newcastle University
"I'm asking for some advice and assistance from an offender profiler to look at the sequence of events to try and give us some better information on that. The CCTV images were taken as Miss Xi travelled home from work at the Wagamama restaurant in Newcastle on Thursday afternoon.
"One of the things I am asking to be done is to have these killings checked nationally to see if there are any other linked offences of a similar nature."
Police said Mr Zhen was "assaulted for more than an hour" before being stabbed. They believe passers-by may have heard his screams.Police said Mr Zhen was "assaulted for more than an hour" before being stabbed. They believe passers-by may have heard his screams.
A post-mortem revealed he suffered extensive bruising to his arms before he died. A post-mortem examination revealed he suffered extensive bruising to his arms before he died.
Examinations also showed Miss Xi may have been asphyxiated as well as stabbed during the attack.Examinations also showed Miss Xi may have been asphyxiated as well as stabbed during the attack.
Bank accounts A cat's body, found hidden under a sink in the flat, could also provide clues into the motive behind the murders, detectives have said.
Their bodies were found at the downstairs flat on Croydon Road on Saturday afternoon. The cat, which was found submerged under water in a washing bowl, was possibly killed by the pair's attackers, said Northumbria Police.
CCTV images showing the last known movements of Miss Xi are to be released by Northumbria Police later on Wednesday.
The couple met at Newcastle University where they both took masters degrees, graduating in September 2006.
Since then Miss Xi, known as Cici, had worked as a waitress at the Wagamama restaurant in Newcastle.
Police have not yet established Mr Zhen's occupation, despite looking at the couple's bank accounts.
They have ruled out any Triad link, or drugs links, and said the murders remained motiveless.