Ding Murders: Man Believed To Be Anxiang Du Arrested In Morocco

Man Believed To Be Anxiang Du Arrested In Morocco

Police in Morocco have arrested a man believed to be a Chinese businessman wanted on suspicion of murdering a family of four.

Anxiang Du, 53, is thought to have fled the UK shortly after 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 April 29 last year - the same day as the royal wedding.

Northamptonshire Police said a man believed to be Du was arrested yesterday afternoon in Tangier.

A police spokeswoman said: "Detectives hunting for Anxiang Du have been informed by Moroccan law enforcement authorities that a man they strongly believe to be the suspect has been arrested.

"The arrest happened on Saturday afternoon at a premises in Tangier and authorities believe that the visit by Northamptonshire detectives to Madrid earlier in the week played a significant part in the suspect's apprehension.

"Officers will now be progressing a formal application for extradition with the Home Office.

"There is no further detail on this development available at this stage."

The arrest comes days after detectives revealed they thought Du could have been evading capture in Morocco for more than a year.

Northamptonshire Police said Du boarded a bus at London's Victoria station shortly after the family were found dead and travelled to Paris and through France and Spain before catching a ferry from the port of Algeciras to Tangier.

The journey is believed to have taken only a few days, with Du evading capture in Morocco ever since.

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Davies, who is leading the investigation, said earlier this week: "He knew the route, he had a plan and he used that three or four-day window after the murders to leave the country.

"We have focused on that period and the transport links in and out of London. It was painstaking work but after looking through all the departures we know he left on a bus from London Victoria to Paris.

"From there he used buses or trains to get to Algeciras where he boarded a ferry to Tangier."

Du has a background in herbal medicine and police are investigating the possibility he has used that to earn a living while on the run.

He is known to have been carrying several thousand pounds in cash when he left the UK but police think that money will now have run out and officers are keen to know how he is surviving financially.

Mr Davies said: "We are looking at a number of things. Is somebody looking after him financially? Has somebody given him some low-skilled work? Has he set up a herbal remedy business of his own? Has someone given him somewhere to stay?

"Or is he the sort of person who is living in isolation and nobody is noticing?"

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