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A man who is accused of murdering two nephews and then fleeing to Hong Kong claims he wants to return to the U.S. as soon as possible to prove his innocence. Deyun Shi, 44, consented to surrender and said he wants to return to the U.S. as soon as possible to prove that he did not murder his nephews, ages 15 and 16, in their Arcadia home. His nephews were discovered dead on Friday, the same day that Shi later boarded Cathay Pacific Flight 897 to Hong Kong. He claims he did not get on the plane in an effort to flee the U.S., but because he had business in Shenzhen, China, the L.A. Times reports.
"The allegations are not true. I don't plan to give a rebuttal here, but I believe I'll restore the truth the U.S. with supporting evidence. That's why I'd like to go back as soon as possible," he said in court.
He also asked to be released from custody for the time being, saying he had plenty of money for bail—he said the company he and his wife own is worth $20 to $30 million—but that request was denied.
Shi will appear in court on Feb. 1 to appeal that decision, and again on Feb. 11 regarding extradition to the U.S. In order for the extradition to go through, the U.S. will need to submit a full surrender request, per a 1997 treaty. Hong Kong has a different legal system from mainland China. Attorney Barry Greenhalgh told the Times that it may take up to eight weeks for Shi to return.
Shi is a citizen of mainland China. He moved to the United States with his wife and their two children in 2014.
Shi is suspected of killing his two nephews, Anthony and William Lin, after getting into an argument with his wife. Both boys showed signs of blunt forced trauma, and it appeared as though someone had broken into their home. Police believe that Shi was angry because his wife was preparing to divorce him and had filed a restraining order against him. He allegedly went to her home in La Cañada Flintridge on Thursday and assaulted her with an axe, but left when his own teenage son intervened.
Investigators believe he then went to the home of his wife's brother in the 400 block of Fairview Avenue where the two teenagers had been left alone to sleep while their parents visited Shi's wife in the hospital, ABC 7 reports. The parents returned home at 5 a.m. and did not notice anything amiss, but discovered the boys' bodies at about 12:30 p.m.
Anthony and William Lin both attended Arcadia High School, where there will be a vigil for them this evening at 6 p.m.
