Sydney Double Murder: Couple Found Dead in Park, Police Link to Gambling Debts
A married couple found dead in a Sydney park were likely murdered over gambling debts, according to New South Wales homicide detectives.
Two women sitting together smiling
Jai-Bao "Rex" Chen, 33, and his wife Zhuojun "Sally" Li disappeared from their Greenacre home in November. Li's body was discovered wrapped in plastic by a jogger in Sir Joseph Banks Park, Botany. Chen's body was found the next day submerged in a nearby creek, approximately 30 feet away.
Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty revealed Chen had accumulated "significant" gambling debts with loan sharks prior to the couple's disappearance. Security footage suggests the couple were killed in their apartment on November 30, with their bodies transported to the park in a silver Toyota Avensis.
Investigators believe two or three perpetrators fled to Queensland before leaving the country, possibly to China or Taiwan. The suspects allegedly used Chen's phone after his death before abandoning it. The murder vehicle was seized at Sydney Airport.
While Chen had previous drug-related convictions, Li was reportedly unaware of the extent of her husband's gambling addiction. The couple had no known connections to organized crime, though Chen was under parole conditions requiring treatment for substance abuse issues.
NSW Police are collaborating with Chinese and Taiwanese authorities to locate the suspects. The case highlights the deadly consequences of problem gambling and illegal lending operations.
Related Articles
Houston Man Faces Felony After Abandoning 4-Year-Old in Car While Gambling at Race Track
