Found Deceased New Zealand - Yanfei Bao, 44, Real Estate Agent - Christchurch, South Island 19 July 2023 *arrest*

[Snoopster]

OK, I've now looked back through the thread (which I should have done first before posting) and am now back to leaning toward 'business deal gone wrong'.
I'm still keeping an open mind.

 

[hazel324]

Givealittle page set up for missing real estate agent Yanfei Bao

A Givealittle page has been set up for real estate agent Yanfei Bao, who has been missing for more than a week and is now the subject of a homicide investigation.

The page is asking for support for Bao’s family to help “ease the burden” as they are left “devastated and in deep sorrow”.

The 44-year-old mother to a 9-year-old girl was last seen alive 10 days ago in a residential Christchurch street where she was due to show a potential buyer a house listed for sale.

“Yanfei was not only a skilled professional but also a beloved partner to Paul, a cherished daughter, and a loving mother to her young child, Momo,” the page reads.

FACEBOOK/SUPPLIED
Yanfei Bao has been missing for 10 days.

Bao's parents are due to arrive in New Zealand “with shattered hearts, seeking answers and closure for their missing daughter”.

“The journey comes with immense emotional and financial challenges as they face the reality of the situation.”

Contributions are said to be provided directly to Bao’s partner Paul Gooch, to provide essential support to those impacted by his wife’s disappearance, including Paul, her parents and her daughter.

The search for Bao will continue through the weekend and has been largely concentrated on two areas – New Brighton and the Halswell River, south of Neills Rd, near Lake Ellesmere.

“The investigation team has now received in excess of 200 pieces of information, which is helpful to piecing together what has happened,” Reeves said.

Police continue to be interested in hearing from the public who saw Bao’s vehicle on the day she went missing, Wednesday, July 19.

Reeves has urged anyone who saw a silver Nissan Dualis between 12.30pm and 10.45pm to contact police.

Information can be reported to police via 105, either by calling or going online referencing the file number 230720/5911.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Erum Ali says the incident has affected how the industry goes about its duties.

"We're kind of still in denial, just, y'know, thinking that maybe she might get found," she said.

"It's really hard to understand what's happened, it's just really, very disturbing."

"It feels like it's somebody who you know who's just disappeared, I'm sure it's really hard for the family, because If we can feel it, I'm sure they do too."

"Work in pairs - that's the instructions we've got, and I think that's the safest way to go about soliciting clients and sales at this time," Ali said.

"This has never happened before, other than the Covid lockdown, where we were given clear instructions to not door-knock and go and meet people, we've never felt that there was any need to worry about this.

"It's just going to be a bit hard to understand whether this should be the norm, because nobody wants to live in fear, and this has clearly caused a lot of fear."

"It's a really important part of our work, there's no way we can not do door-knocking and expect to get sales," she said.

"And more than that, it's also like meeting your community, talking to people, getting to know [them], it's not something that can be avoided.

"If you say 'oh don't do that for some time' or 'just put it on hold', it's gonna affect the industry in a big way.

"I don't understand any other way, this is an old-fashioned way of doing sale in real estate, but door-knocking [is] the only way to go."

Yanfei Bao disappearance 'very disturbing' to real estate industry

Since the Christchurch real estate agent went missing 10 days ago, Bayleys Real Estate has told staff to pair up when going out on jobs.

www.1news.co.nz

 

[vls12345]

High waters hamper search for Yanfei Bao, as donations for family pass $28k

High water levels are hampering the police search for the body of the missing Christchurch real estate agent.

i.stuff.co.nz

 

[kiwi50]

I think Yanief was quite likely in the Trevor Street house with alleged kidnapper when she phoned her friend to ask about transferring money from China to NZ.
i wonder if he planned to kill her at this stage, and the phone call was to distract her.
Still curious as to whether there is a link to Iroquois Place, or did the alleged kidnapper just randomly park her car there.

 

[StillDiggin]

Nearly $30,000 raised for family of missing Chch woman Yanfei Bao

Eleven days have passed since the 44-year-old real estate agent disappeared near Hornby while she was out door-knocking.

www.1news.co.nz

 

[hazel324]

Police hope to resume search of waterways for Yanfei Bao on Wednesday

Police don’t believe they will be able to resume the search of Christchurch’s waterways for missing woman Yanfei Bao until Wednesday.

High water levels over the weekend forced them to pause their search of the Halswell River and Lake Ellesmere for Bao, a Christchurch real estate agent missing since July 19. The search was upgraded to a homicide investigation on Wednesday.

They have also been making door-to-door inquiries in several Christchurch locations and conducting a grid search in New Brighton.

The officer in charge of the case, Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves, said on Monday morning that conditions on the Halswell River and Ellesmere Lake “remain unfavourable”, however police will continue to assess the situation, with searches most likely able to resume on Wednesday.

Other enquiries continue to be carried out as police continue to receive information about Bao's disappearance, Reeves said.

PETER MEECHAM/THE PRESS/STUFF​

28th July 2023 Peter Meecham/The Press Police and Land SAR teams at make their way down the Halswell River near Lake Ellesmere during the search for Yanfei Bao.

 

[Snoopster]

I think Yanief was quite likely in the Trevor Street house with alleged kidnapper when she phoned her friend to ask about transferring money from China to NZ.
i wonder if he planned to kill her at this stage, and the phone call was to distract her.
Still curious as to whether there is a link to Iroquois Place, or did the alleged kidnapper just randomly park her car there.

I agree. The fact that LE went back to focus on the Trevor street property implies to me that something happened there...even if it was just about who was there at the property with her. They also might have been looking for signs of a struggle.

 

[otto]

I check every day, hoping that her body has been found. The longer it goes on, the more unlikely that anything other than a lucky break will find her.

 

[hazel324]

I check every day, hoping that her body has been found. The longer it goes on, the more unlikely that anything other than a lucky break will find her.

Searching in the waterways had to be postponed yesterday and today...waiting for water levels to go down.

Hopefully they will be able to get back onto it tomorrow.

Some of the areas are the same as those searched 6 years ago looking for Mike McGrath, who as we know has never been found...

 

[hazel324]

Yanfei Bao: Family of missing real estate agent issues plea as search resumes

The family of Christchurch woman Yanfei Bao has issued a hearbreaking plea as the search for her body resumes.

Bao, a 44-year-old real estate agent, went missing while out doorknocking on July 19. What was originally a missing persons investigation is now a homicide probe.

However, high water levels in the Halswell River and Lake Ellesmere at the weekend forced the search for her body to be paused.

In an update on Wednesday, police said officers will resume the search on Wednesday now water levels have subsided.

"Police search and rescue and dive squad are involved, along with an aerial search," a police statement said.

Other investigations had continued progressing while the search was paused, the statement said.

More information was received while the search was paused and the public is still being asked to report any sighting of a silver Mitsubishi sedan.

"Staff are dedicated to piecing together the circumstances of the investigation and we remain interested in any information relating to sightings of a silver Mitsubishi sedan with the registration DPH101, particularly on Thursday, July 20."

'Cherish your loved ones'​

The family of Bao, in a statement on Wednesday, said they wanted their "beloved wife and mother" found so they could have closure and begin grieving.

"In their time of crisis, the Bao family would also like to express their sincere appreciation to the police for their invaluable support and relentless dedication in the search for their missing loved one, Yanfei," the statement said.

"The family urges anyone with information that could assist the police in locating Yanfei to come forward as soon as possible."

Bao's family encouraged people to "cherish their loved ones and express their feelings openly" the statement said.

"Yanfei's husband Paul Gooch urges people to 'go home tonight and tell all those you hold dear that you love and cherish them.'

"The family of Yanfei Bao wishes to thank each and every person who has shown support during this challenging time."

At the weekend, a Givealittle page for the family was set up by a close friend which had so far raised more than $43,000.

"The love and compassion displayed by fellow New Zealanders has been truly humbling, and the Bao family cannot express how grateful they are for all the generous donations made through Givealittle," the statement said.

"This generosity will help ease the burden on their family during these trying times."

 

[dotr]

Jul 31, 2023
High water levels are continuing to set back search efforts for missing Christchurch real estate agent Yanfei Bao

 

[vls12345]

Yanfei Bao's husband issues heartfelt message to Kiwis

"Go home tonight and tell all those you hold dear that you love and cherish them," Paul Gooch said.

www.1news.co.nz

 

[vls12345]

Inside the search for Yanfei Bao: ‘We just want some answers’

More than two weeks on from Yanfei Bao's disappearance, the search continues.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[hazel324]

Latest Search Locations

Police to search roadsides and tree lines for Yanfei Bao — Chris Lynch Newsroom

Police will today search roadsides and tree lines as they hunt for clues for Yanfei Bao.

On Thursday, police searched along Halswell River, through farmland nearby and MaCartneys Road.

Police Search and Rescue, Dive Squad and Coastguard are involved.

Today Friday, police will search roadsides and tree lines on Hudson’s Road and Clark Road in Greenpark.

The Police National Dive Squad will search near Lake Terrace Road in Burwood.

Other enquiries have continued to progress as police receive information about Ms Bao's disappearance.

 

[hazel324]

I'm having probs getting the video in this RNZ link to embed here - may I ask for help please...
Police 'incredibly hopeful' as search for Yanfei Bao's body continues for third week

The search for a missing Christchurch real estate agent remains focused on waterways south of Christchurch, but police are still trying to track exactly where the car of the man charged with her kidnapping went the day after Yanfei Bao disappeared.

The homicide investigation has entered its third week of searching for Bao, who went missing while conducting business as a real estate agent.

A dive squad has been searching the Halswell River and looking again in waterways around Greenpark and Lake Ellesmere with land searches too.
too.

Detective Inspector Nicola Reeves told Checkpoint more than 200 tips off from the public and other factors were leading them to the current search area.

 

[otto]

I guess the story is that a well educated, professional realtor met a client at one of her available properties, she made an unusual phone call about converting Chinese money to real estate, she vanished. The location of her phone almost seems like a decoy. Water searches are difficult and previous searches in the area have not resulted in locating bodies.

How long before the search is permanently closed? Or has that already happened ... given how long it has been?

 

[hazel324]

I guess the story is that a well educated, professional realtor met a client at one of her available properties, she made an unusual phone call about converting Chinese money to real estate, she vanished. The location of her phone almost seems like a decoy. Water searches are difficult and previous searches in the area have not resulted in locating bodies.

How long before the search is permanently closed? Or has that already happened ... given how long it has been?

I do think the searches will continue this week...hopefully if water has subsided a bit more it may be a little easier, though doesn't mean she'll be found. As you alluded...MG was never found - wouldn't it be great if these searches found 2 for 1 My belief is the killer utilised the bathroom to make finding her more difficult - have thought this since we learned the amount of time his car was parked near to T St house but I still can't say (type) the words

My thinking about the phone is just that it was tossed from the car to stop tracking...so location it was found could've been anywhere along the routes taken that day

 

[otto]

I do think the searches will continue this week...hopefully if water has subsided a bit more it may be a little easier, though doesn't mean she'll be found. As you alluded...MG was never found - wouldn't it be great if these searches found 2 for 1 My belief is the killer utilised the bathroom to make finding her more difficult - have thought this since we learned the amount of time his car was parked near to T St house but I still can't say (type) the words

My thinking about the phone is just that it was tossed from the car to stop tracking...so location it was found could've been anywhere along the routes taken that day

It looks like phone location is unrelated to body search area. If it is body parts, less likely that she will be found.

 

[StillDiggin]

Missing real estate agent Yanfei Bao: Police search to focus on roads and farmland

Nearly three weeks on from Yanfei Bao's disappearance, the search continues.

www.nzherald.co.nz