Xie showed 'incredible arrogance': Crown

The two Lin boys who were allegedly murdered by their uncle Robert Xie may have been "collateral" victims, the Crown says.

Accused murderer Robert Xie made his first mistake as soon as he entered the house in which he allegedly killed five of his family members, the Crown says.

It was an error, it argues, that showed an "incredible degree of arrogance" and an "unrealistic belief" he would not get caught.

After seven months of evidence, crown prosecutor Mark Tedeschi QC began his closing address to the jury at the Supreme Court on Tuesday by saying "you probably thought this day would never come".

Looking back on what they have heard, Mr Tedeschi said it was the crown case that on the morning of July 18, 2009, Xie made a series of errors.

The first was when he allegedly used a key to gain entry to the house.

"The evidence from the forensic locksmith is that none of the keys had been tampered with," Mr Tedeschi said.

"We submit that anyone who entered the house with a key ... shows an incredible degree of arrogance and self-assuredness and a completely unrealistic belief that they are immune from detection."

Once inside the North Epping home, the Crown says Xie, armed with a hammer, crept into the bedroom where his brother-in-law Min Lin, 45 and his wife Lily, 44, lay sleeping.

They were his "primary intended victims", Mr Tedeschi argued.

"Min and Lily not only were attacked by a hammer to the head but their faces were disfigured.

"The way in which they were moved shows the killer was motivated by intense bitterness and hatred to ... place them in this humiliating manner."

There was a "very good possibility, maybe even probability" that the three other murdered Lin family members - Lily's sister Irene, 39, and Xie's nephews Henry, 12, and Terry, nine - were "collateral victims".

Mr Tedeschi said defensive wounds indicated Irene and the two boys awoke when the other family members were attacked.

Another mistake was found in shoe prints left inside the house, which are consistent with the Asics sneakers Xie wore.

"He had no idea treading in blood with these shoes - shoes he obviously got rid of - could be traced back to him," Mr Tedeschi submitted.

Hours later, Xie went with his wife Kathy to the Lins' home after she heard her brother Min had not turned up at work.

In a triple zero call made by Kathy in the moments after she saw the bodies of Lily, Irene, Henry and Terry, Mr Tedeschi said she could be heard "begging" Xie to stay with her until police arrived.

"Why was it that he had to leave Kathy when she was crying and begging for him to stay?" Mr Tedeschi asked.

"The reason was he had to dispose of the hammer (before police arrived)."

Xie has pleaded not guilty to the murders.

The crown submissions continue while the defence is expected to begin its closing remarks in coming days.


Share
3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP

Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world