Family murders suspect 'in Morocco'

A businessman wanted in connection with the murders of a family of four is believed to be in Morocco, detectives have said. Police hunting Chinese businessman Anxiang Du, 53, have travelled to Spain in the investigation into the deaths of university lecturer Jifeng "Jeff" Ding, his wife Ge "Helen" Chui and their two daughters Alice, 12, and Xing, 18. The family were found stabbed to death at their home in Wootton, Northamptonshire, on May 1 last year. A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said a "major breakthrough" in the investigation revealed new information that Du travelled to Morocco shortly after he is believed to have killed the family. Officers travelled to Madrid on Wednesday to brief the Spanish authorities, the media and the public on the hunt for prime suspect Du, the spokesman said. Detective Chief Inspector Tom Davies, leading the investigation, said: "We know that at an early stage in the investigation - in the first few days before he was declared the prime suspect - Anxiang Du had the opportunity to leave the country. "We now strongly believe Anxiang Du left the UK soon after the murders and travelled from Victoria bus station, London, on a coach to Paris, Gallieni. After this he travelled through France into Spain, most likely through the use of public transport. His final journey was to Algeciras in Spain where he caught a ferry from there into Tangier, Morocco. We believe that having made his way to Morocco, Mr Du is still there and may still be in the Tangier area. "We have been working with the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, Interpol and Crown Prosecution Service International to ensure we have the support of international law enforcement agencies who are currently focused on locating Anxiang Du in Morocco. "We are also closely working with the Moroccan police who have the required extradition papers should Mr Du be located and arrested in Morocco. This will ensure a swift process of bringing Mr Du back to England to face appropriate charges." Mr Ding worked as a lecturer at Manchester University and his wife worked locally at a school in Northampton.