Torres, federal enforcers talk about Li’s disappearance, murder of uncle

Lt. Gov. Ralph DLG. Torres discussed yesterday with federal law enforcement officials efforts to combat drugs and crimes in the CNMI as well as the disappearance of storeowner Zhu Yuan Li and the murder of his uncle, Hai Ren Li.

Torres, in his statement, said coordination among the various law enforcement agencies in the CNMI, both federal and local, underscores the ongoing efforts to eradicate the presence of illegal drugs on the islands and the pursuit of justice for the families of victims of heinous crimes.

“There is no room on our islands for these crimes and the community should take comfort in knowing that justice in the CNMI knows no boundaries,” said Torres, adding that the administration fully supports federal partners in this goal.

Matthew Deleon Guerrero, chief of staff of Lt. Gov. Torres, told Saipan Tribune that Torres met with federal law enforcement officials following the Law Enforcement Coordination Committee meeting yesterday in the Governor’s Office conference room.

Torres met with U.S. Attorney for the Districts of Guam and NMI Alicia A. G. Limtiaco; Jeff Gaines of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Mark Yamanaka of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Anthony Galetti of the U.S. Postal Service; W.J. Borbett of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Michael Puralewski of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Deleon Guerrero said they discussed the federal law enforcement’s role in investigating the disappearance of Saipan Fresh Market owner Zhi Yuan Li and the murder of Li’s uncle, Hai Ren Li.

Deleon Guerrero said they also talked about further efforts to curtail the spread of drugs in the CNMI.

Zhi Yuan Li, 43, was last seen on Jan. 17 at 11am, seeing a friend at an “accounting office” near a tire shop in Puerto Rico. His family reported his disappearance to police that day at 7:56pm.

The following morning, police recovered Zhi Yuan Li’s Toyota Tacoma pickup truck abandoned on a dirt road between Ladder Beach and Obyan Beach.

A family member has offered a $50,000 cash reward to anyone that can provide information leading to the location of the storeowner.

Hai Ren Li and Cheng You Li, both Chinese farmers, were murdered and their bodies dumped at the old runway in Koblerville last November.

Hai Ren Li and Cheng You Li were last seen in the afternoon of Oct. 31, 2014, when they left their respective homes in As Lito and San Antonio to work at their farm in As Gonno between 12pm and 2:30pm.

On Nov. 1, part of a large group of Chinese community that helped in the search found Hai Ren Li’s Toyota Tacoma under some tangan-tangan trees a few steps from the side of Magisa Drive in As Gonno.

Last Feb. 23, the bodies of farmers Guo Huang Xu and his wife, Qing Xiu Zheng, were found charred in their house that was burned to the ground. Police classified the case as a double homicide.

On Dec. 8, 2012, couple Jun Li Yang and Jing Liu was found murdered inside their home in San Vicente.

All these double homicides involving Chinese nationals remain unsolved.