The Lin family murders occurred in North Epping in the northwestern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on 18 July 2009.
After entering via the unlocked front door and discovering the murder scene, Kathy called 000 for an ambulance and struggled to explain the situation.
It was clear that the killer had known the layout of the house, the location of the circuit breaker, and the fact that Brenda Lin was not home, as it appeared that the attacker did not enter her room.
[1] Forensic analysts also determined that the killings had been started with a hammer-like object, alleged at trial to have been bought from a discount store,[2] and four of the five victims had additional signs of asphyxia.
[7] In May 2010, the NSW Crime Commission told Kathy about the discovery of shoe prints that may match an ASICS sneaker.
Subsequently, video collected during six-month-long covert police surveillance showed Xie cutting up a size 9.5 ASICS sneakers box and flushing it down a toilet.
Forensic investigators searched his home and found a stain on the floor of the garage, which the Crown prosecutor alleged was blood.
[12] Authorities alleged the motive for the crime was that, while Xie had been an ENT doctor in China before migrating to Melbourne in 2006, he had made an unsuccessful attempt to open a restaurant there before relocating to Sydney.
[18] Robert Xie's defence lawyers argued that the injuries inflicted upon the family members indicated that the murders were committed by more than one person.
[18] On 1 December 2015, after a nine-month trial and eleven days of deliberation, two separate notes from the jury of twelve indicated they were unable to reach a verdict.
An agreement still could not be reached after a direction from presiding Justice Elizabeth Fullerton indicating that she would accept a majority verdict of eleven to one.