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Kin finally OK’d to see bodies of slain farmers
Chinese community helps with cremation expenses
The wives and children of two murdered Chinese farmers were finally allowed to see the bodies at the Commonwealth Health Center’s morgue over the weekend, two weeks after the victims’ remains were found at the old airport runway in Koblerville.
As this developed, members of the Chinese community chipped in to help with the cost of cremating the bodies of victims Hai Ren Li and Cheng You Li in Guam. The total costs of cremation, including transporting the bodies to Guam, is $12,000, Saipan Tribune learned yesterday.
Police called the families on Friday that they could now see the bodies at CHC. Hai Ren Li’s wife and two sons—ages 25 and 26—went to the morgue accompanied by the victim’s brother-in-law.
The following afternoon, Saturday, Cheng You Li’s widow and their 19-year-old son and 23-year-old daughter went to see the bodies, accompanied by three other relatives and friends.
“It’s so painful. The wife and children were crying when they saw the body. Everybody was crying,” said the brother of victim Cheng You Li.
The brother said the widows and children of both victims want to cremate the bodies immediately so they could bring the ashes to Fujian Province in China.
The brother who requested anonymity said they are hoping that the Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of investigation will not cease their efforts to find the persons behind the double slayings.
The wives and children flew to Saipan last Nov. 8 after learning about the murders.
According to the autopsy, Cheng You Li’s cause of death was due to multiple lacerations and wounds inflicted primarily on his neck.
Hai Ren Li’s cause of death was from a skull fracture due to blunt force trauma.
Guam chief medical examiner Dr. Aurelio Espinola did not immediately conduct the autopsy because he was off-island when the bodies were found.
