Detectives comb home for clues
Police expect to be at businesswoman’s house all week
Police expect to be at an East Auckland home all week as they hunt for clues in the death of Elizabeth (Ying)
Zhong.
A body — believed to be 55-yearold Zhong’s — was found at the Sunnyhills property on Suzetta Place on Sunday with the cause of death initially treated as “unexplained”.
Zhong was reported missing from her Sunnyhills home on Saturday morning. The Auckland businesswoman, who has multiple company directorships, was last seen on Friday afternoon.
Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers, of Counties Manukau CIB, said a postmortem examination had been completed on the body found at the Sunnyhills property.
While police were yet to formally identify the body, they still believed it to be the body of Zhong, he said.
Police expected the scene examination to take “some time”.
Vickers said police had made progress in the investigation.
“We have a received a number of calls with information since Saturday, which our inquiry team are assessing as part of the investigation,” he said.
Officers had also door-knocked the surrounding area and been supported by helpful locals, he said.
Zhong had been looking forward to her life with a new partner, a friend told the Herald.
A source told the Herald the body was uplifted on Sunday from a vehicle a few streets away from her $2 million home.
Zhong had been a sponsor of projects and festivals — including the 2017 Asia Pacific Film festival.
“I am totally shocked to hear the news that she is gone,” said the friend.
“The last time we met, she introduced me to her new partner and we also talked about her daughter and grandchild in Wellington, and she was looking forward to living her new life.”
Zhong came to New Zealand with her then husband and daughter in 1997. Her daughter now works for the Treasury in Wellington.
Her new partner is a property developer.
Her friend, who is also a business associate, described Zhong as a “smart businesswoman” who was respected by many in the film industry.
The Herald understands Zhong was also a close associate of the late Jihong Lu, and had been in talks with the controversial theatre promoter in the early stages about being part of the failed City of 100 Lovers production.
Zhong had also been working with investors from China, and hosted delegations, such as one from Shanxi that came in 2018, at vineyards she owned.
A team of investigators would now dive deeper into examining CCTV footage to try to track movements to and from the Sunnyhills property.
“Ms Zhong’s family are understandably upset at what has occurred and we are continuing to support them in any way we can,” Vickers said yesterday.
“Police continue to ask anyone that may have information to contact 105 and quote the file number 201128/1909.”
He said information can also be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.