West Vancouver man allegedly killed and dismembered for his money

Dec 19 2017, 11:17 pm

A wealthy family is squabbling over the estate of Gang Yuan, the 42-year-old man who was killed and dismembered at a British Properties mansion in West Vancouver earlier this month.

Li Zhao, 52, was arrested shortly after Yuan’s dismembered body was found by police. He is facing charges of second-degree murder and interfering with a dead body, which was allegedly cut up into more than 100 pieces.

CTV News reports the Yuan family is claiming ownership of the $5-million mansion, which they shared with the Zhao family. The two families are connected as Zhao’s wife, Xiao Mei Li, is the cousin of Gang Yuan.

However, the property is under the name of the accused murderer and his wife due to “legitimate tax reasons,” according to Chris Johnson, the lawyer for the Yuan family. In addition, the victim’s family claims that Li Zhao owed them over $2 million – they took his family in because they were struggling.

“With the known facts, there is really only one conclusion: Mr. Zhao did this for financial reasons,” Johnson told CBC News. “He thought that he could get a free house. Not just any house, but a very valuable house in West Vancouver.”

Johnson also accuses Zhao’s daughter, Florence, of falsely claiming ownership of Yuan’s property when she starred on the reality series Ultra Rich Asian Girls of VancouverThis includes an island in the Southern Gulf Islands, his Rolls Royce, and another residential property in the region.

The Yuan family lawyer adds that within days of the murder, Zhao’s wife was allegedly seen driving Yuan’s Bentley.

The charges and accusations have not been proven in court.

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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