Key Evidence Missing From Scene Of Murders Weapon, Carpeting, Clothing May Have Been Dumped, Police Chief Says

Key evidence still is missing from the apartment of a University of Idaho international student and his wife who were slain last month, Moscow Police Chief William Brown says.

But the man charged with two counts of first-degree murder purchased three hunting knives from Wal-Mart in Moscow May 20 and 27, sporting goods clerk David Baird said.

Strips of bloodstained carpeting, a door from the inside of an apartment, clothing and a possible murder weapon may have been dumped somewhere in Latah or Whitman counties by the murder suspect, 25-year-old Wenkai Li, Brown said.

“We want to make the case as strong as possible. Finding all the evidence that was disposed of is very important,” he said.

The bodies of Ning Li and Xiahiou Ge were found June 4 about 20 miles east of Rawlins, Wyo. They lived in the Moscow apartment.

Wenkai Li, Beijing, also a student at Idaho, has been charged in their deaths.

Investigators believe he cleaned the apartment, packed the bodies in sleeping bags, canceled the utilities and paid one month’s rent before driving to Wyoming in the couple’s car and dumping the bodies on a rural road.

Wenkai Li’s girlfriend, Xiaohui Pan, also a Chinese graduate student, has been questioned by authorities, Brown said.

In a statement given to authorities in Wyoming, Wenkai Li said the slayings took place after Ning Li “began to say insulting things,” about Wenkai Li’s girlfriend.

Wenkai Li said he stabbed Ning Li in the victim’s kitchen, and then choked and stabbed Ge when she came in the room.

Baird said he sold Wenkai Li two Buck hunting knives with black plastic handles, and one Schrade Super hunting knife with a woodlike handle. Both knives had 6-inch blades.

Baird said the Moscow Police Department confiscated Wal-Mart’s entire inventory of the two knives.

In another development, a gas attendant at Moscow’s Husky Sport Shop said he filled Wenkai Li’s rented van with gas May 31.

Another man of Asian descent was present, Matt Miller said.

Brown has confirmed another man helped Wenkai Li rent the van because he was under age. The shop where the van was rented requires lease holders to be at least 26 years old.

“We do not believe the (other) individual had anything to do with the crime,” Brown said.

After leaving Moscow, Wenkai Li allegedly used the victims’ car to drive to Wyoming, where it broke down. The car was towed to Laramie, Wyo., where Wenkai Li used Ning Li’s credit cards to stay in hotels June 3 and 4.

Credit card purchases by Wenkai Li were traced and he was apprehended in Laramie. He had a bus ticket to Salt Lake City. Wenkai Li on Tuesday waived extradition hearings, and will be transferred to the Latah County Jail.