Chinese officials say the man will not be extradited
The suspect in the November murder of a UA student and his wife will be tried in China, where he was found last month.
Officials at the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles said that according to Chinese law, the punishment for murder is death.
Wenshi Zhou, 37, was identified as the suspect in the Nov. 3 stabbing of UA doctoral student Jianquing Yang, 32, and his wife, Yu Yun Chen, 33, in their midtown apartment.
Zhou, a Chinese citizen, was discovered in mid-December in the Guang Xi province of China.
Xuewen E, counselor of education for the Chinese Consulate, said that extraditing Zhou to the United States is not an option condoned by Chinese law.
"The Chinese law has jurisdiction on Chinese citizens everywhere in the world," E said. "He will be tried in China."
E also said the family of the victims, who were also Chinese citizens, wrote a letter to the Pima County Attorney's office asking to have him tried in China.
Dan Benavidez, communications director for Pima County Attorney's Office, said the case is still being treated as an ongoing investigation.
"We're working very closely with them (Chinese officials) and continue to have meetings on this matter," he said.
Zhou worked with Chen at a Northwest Side restaurant until Chen abruptly quit earlier last year.
Zhou was said to have quit his job at the restaurant shortly after the murder.
Tucson Police Department spokeswoman Sgt. Judy Altieri said that although they have probable cause to believe Zhou is the culprit of the murder, a motive is still unknown.
"The fact remains the two people in part of the relationship are dead, and we haven't had a chance to interview the suspect. We may never have an answer to the question of why," she said.
