Yang Zhao set to be extradited from NSW to Queensland over alleged murder

A man is set to be extradited to Queensland over the alleged murder of a woman whose badly decomposed body was found in a metal box on the balcony of a Brisbane riverside apartment block and may have been there up to nine months.

A BODY found “wrapped in a cloth” and entombed in a metal box on a Brisbane riverside unit balcony is believed to be a woman who disappeared from Sydney four months ago.

Police will allege Qiong Yan, 30, was murdered by her flatmate Yang Zhao, 26, and her body was left to decompose in the sealed box for weeks and “potentially months”.

Detectives had gone to the Newport Hamilton apartment complex to investigate Ms Yan’s disappearance when they made the grisly discovery about 4pm on Monday.

Yang Zhao, who is wanted in connection with the alleged murder of a person found hidden in a metal box at a Brisbane riverside apartment, is taken into police custody. Picture: 9 News

A warrant for murder was issued for Mr Zhao, who was arrested at a house in Mascot, in Sydney’s inner south.

Mr Zhao will face Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday where an application will be made to extradite him to Queensland.

Incredibly, detectives revealed the body was found at the Parkside Circuit block at the same time NSW Police were questioning Mr Zhao over her disappearance.

“Both those events basically happened at the same time and the Queensland Police … advised NSW Police at the moment they were at his house,” Detective Inspector Tim Trezise said.

Alleged murder victim Qiong Yan.

Ms Yan, a Chinese national, was reported missing to police in NSW on April 12 after her mother was unable to contact her.

Court documents revealed police will allege Mr Zhao, who is also a Chinese national, murdered Ms Yan some time between October 2020 and May this year.

Inspector Trezise said the body was in an “advanced state of decomposition”.

“The body is completely wrapped in a cloth, there is one foot visible is my ­understanding,” he said.

Police at the Hamilton apartment block where a badly decomposed body was found inside a metal box on a balcony. Picture: Tara Croser.

A post-mortem confirmed on Tuesday that the body was that of an Asian woman, but was yet to positively identify the remains.

Police spoke with Ms Yan’s mother on Tuesday and confirmed that distinctive jewellery found inside the box belonged to Ms Yan.

Police say the body may have been in the metal box potentially for months. Picture: Tara Croser.

Det Insp Trezise said detectives may need Australian Federal Police and Interpol to get a DNA sample from the alleged victim’s family.

Det Insp Trezise said the pair were flatmates and there was no indication yet that they were in a relationship.

A crime scene has been established at the Newport Apartments in Hamilton. Picture: David Clark

Residents of the Hamilton unit block told The Courier- Mail they were left “unsettled” by the discovery.

Gayle Burgess and her son Beau Broomfield said they would often see the people who lived in the apartment of the crime scene walking their dog.

“Generally late at night they’d walk their one dog,” Ms Burgess said.

She said they had not seen the woman walking the dog with the man for a couple of months.

Ms Burgess said she saw “lots of police” around her unit complex when she returned home from work about 5pm yesterday.

She said detectives had shown her photographs of the pair and asked if she had seen them.

“I hadn’t seen her for quite some time,” Ms Burgess said.

“I’d seen them together but months ago.”

A forensic investigator at the Newport Apartments in Hamilton after a body was discovered. Picture: David Clark

Ms Burgess said she believed the man and the woman were a couple and that she had often seen them walking the dog at night.

“To be honest it feels a bit unsettling because here is a very professional, safe, quiet area,” she said.

“I didn’t sleep much last night just thinking about what’s gone on, how it’s happened and why I didn’t see more.”

A crime scene has been established at the Newport Apartments in Hamilton. Picture: David Clark

Trevor Jamieson, who lived down the road said he couldn’t believe a body had been found in the quiet area.

“It’s pretty crazy really,” he said.

“I was wondering where it was. I thought I’d come for a stroll. It’s the same people that manage our apartments.”

Beau Broomfield and Gayle Burgess talk with media outside the Newport Apartments at Hamilton, following the discovery of a body. Picture: David Clark

One couple who lived on the same floor as the crime scene described the incident as “scary.”

“I saw police here last week so they were obviously checking it out, ” a man said.

Another woman who lived in the area said it was “terrible” to hear a body had been found.

“We live nearby and it’s a nice area, it’s just terrible to hear,” she said.

Mr Zhao did not appear from the cells at Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday, where he was represented by Legal Aid solicitor Natasha Rudduck.

Police prosecutor Scott Phillips told Magistrate Peter Stewart that detectives were not expected to arrive from Queensland for the extradition hearing until late ­Tuesday.

The matter was then adjourned to be heard on Wednesday and Zhao was held in custody overnight.

It is expected Mr Zhao will be tested for Covid-19 before being transferred to a secure isolation cell at the Brisbane city watch-house.

Hamilton resident Trevor Jamieson. Picture: David Clark