Auckland police have confirmed the body of the woman discovered in the boot of a car on Wednesday was that of 27-year-old An An Liu.
A post-mortem examination of Liu's body was carried out on Thursday morning and preliminary findings from the pathologist are that she died in a violent way. However, the pathologist cannot be precise about when she died.
Police are not looking for any weapons in connection with Liu's death.
"Given all the circumstantial evidence to date - she was found in the boot of her husband's car outside their home, there was no activity on her bank accounts for at least a week before she was found, she'd had no phone or e-mail contact with family and friends since Tuesday, September 11 - the homicide investigation team is focusing their efforts now on finding Nai Yin Xue, her husband," Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Scott said.
"We have a warrant for Mr Xue's arrest in New Zealand for the murder of An An Liu and the abduction of their daughter, Qian Xun Xue. We have good reason to believe he is in the USA and we have the correct processes in place to be able to detain him there if located," says Scott.
Scott said contrary to media reports the homicide investigation team had been liaising with the appropriate agencies in the US and Australia over the whereabouts of Xue.
On Thursday a man known as "John" phoned a radio talkback show and said he met Xue at a holding cell at court.
He says Xue was appearing on family violence charges, including beating up his wife and breaching a protection order.
"John" told the radio host he couldn't believe everything he was told by Xue appears to have happened.
He says the exact words that came out of his mouth was that he
was going go kill his wife and was then going to leave with his
daughter.
Meanwhile, the red tape has been cut through to allow the Chinese
mother of An An Liu to come to New Zealand.
The grandmother of the three-year-old girl abandoned in Melbourne by her father has been issued with a Chinese passport.
Associate Immigration Minister Clayton Cosgrove says Liu's mother is free to come to New Zealand and will be looked after when she gets here.
Cosgrove says officials here will be mindful of Mrs Qian's emotional state.
He says she and anyone who travels with her will be given visitor's visas which are the most flexible.
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