The man whose body was found dumped in a Botany park less than 10 metres from where his wife’s corpse was located the week before had a significant history of drug supply.
Police held grave fears for Jai-Bao “Rex” Chen after a jogger discovered the body of his wife, Zhuojun “Sally” Li, wrapped in plastic in Sir Joseph Banks Park near Sydney airport on December 9.
Double homicide: Zhuojun “Sally” Li (left) and her husband, Jai-Bao “Rex” Chen (right) were both killed then dumped in a Sydney park.Credit: NSW Police
Those fears were realised on Tuesday when investigators scouring the bushland made the gruesome discovery of a second body submerged in a creek and obscured by reeds.
Homicide Squad commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty told reporters that the double homicide was believed to be financially motivated by a debt Chen had accrued.
The Herald can reveal that Chen’s criminal history dates back to 2020 when he was convicted of four counts of supplying cannabis and three counts of possession. He avoided prison and was sentenced to a conditional release order and fined $250.
In 2022, he was again in trouble over drugs.
Police discovered what is believed to be Jai-Bao “Rex” Chen’s body while searching an area near Sir Joseph Banks Park in Botany.Credit: Nine News
This time, he was convicted of supplying a small amount of cannabis, and again avoided prison and was sentenced to time in the community.
His community sentence expired in January this year. He was also charged with possessing suspected stolen goods, but no penalty was imposed by Bankstown Local Court.
At the time of her death, Li was also engaged with the legal system. She had undertaken civil action in Bankstown Local Court through her business, NDIS provider Harmony In Home Care, against a migration agent.
The nature of the dispute is unclear. It was discontinued earlier this month when Li failed to appear in Bankstown Local Court. Police believe that she was already dead by her December 3 court date.
Doherty said on Tuesday: “One of our strong lines of inquiry, in relation to when we found Sally’s body, would be that there were some monies owed, some financial debts owed.”
Police are seeking information about the driver of a silver Toyota Avensis captured by CCTV on Foreshore Road.Credit: NSW Police
“There was no other criminality that we’re aware of, and certainly Sally has unfortunately become a victim because of that.”
Police tracked Chen’s mobile phone to Queensland, which allowed them to zero in on two suspects, Doherty said. They have since fled the country.
Police are working with their international counterparts and state officials in both Taiwan and China, he said.
Chen is originally from Taiwan, while Li moved to Australia from China as a child 20 years ago.
Australia has an extradition treaty with China that was signed in 2007 but never ratified. There is no extradition treaty with Taiwan, meaning any attempts to bring them to Australia to face justice are likely to be unsuccessful.
Those two people, Doherty said, were also suspected of driving the couple’s bodies from their Greenacre home and dumping them in the bushland.
On Saturday, police released CCTV showing the vehicle suspected of being used to transport the bodies, a silver Toyota Avensis, stopping on the northern side of Foreshore Road in the early hours of November 30.
The car was seized and taken for forensic examination, as was Chen’s phone.
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