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The man who murdered his ex-wife in West Auckland has been sentenced to life imprisonment and a minimum probation period of 19 years.
Manchao Li in court.
Photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith
Li Manchao attacked Yang Zhimin in broad daylight on Westgate Drive in Massey on the morning of July 29, 2019, while she was waiting for a bus to take her to the library where she worked.
The 65-year-old woman was also sentenced to three years in prison for violating a protection order that had been issued to protect her after years of bullying and harassment.
Li stabbed Yang 10 times in the front of his body, including through his heart.
He amassed a stash of hunting knives before the attack and had told his mental health support person that he would seek compensation for a property dispute by cutting off his ex-wife’s hands and feet if he could not get a resolution in court.
Witnesses described hearing screams of terror as the attack unfolded along a public footpath.
The prosecution argued that Li murdered Yang, but his defense said that his fragile mental health meant he was guilty of murder.
Yang’s murder has had a lasting impact on his relatives, including his mother, who is now suffering from severe depression.
