Uncle Extradited Back From Hong Kong in Suspicion of Nephews' Murders

ARCADIA, CA - A man who allegedly killed his two nephews in Arcadia and then fled to Hong Kong will be extradited back to the United States on Friday, authorities said.

Deyun 'Jeff' Shi is also suspected in the attempted murder of his wife in La Cañada Flintridge, the sheriff's department reported. The crimes occurred in January.

Shi allegedly fled that day to Hong Kong, where he was arrested. He was returned to Los Angeles this afternoon in the custody of Sheriff's Homicide Bureau detectives and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, according to the sheriff's department.

This is the first time in recent memory a suspect has been brought back from the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department personnel.

Sheriff Jim McDonnell held an afternoon news conference in downtown Los Angeles to discuss the case, along with representatives of the Arcadia Police Department and the FBI.

Brothers William and Anthony Lin, 15 and 16, were found by their parents at their home in the 400 block of Fairview Avenue on Jan. 22. They appeared to have suffered blunt force trauma and were pronounced dead at he scene, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Homicide Lt. Eddie Hernandez.

Their uncle allegedly killed them after becoming enraged that his wife had obtained a restraining order against him and had begun divorce proceedings. Shi, a Chinese national who was living in La Cañada Flintridge, allegedly assaulted his wife the day before the killings.

Shi fled on a plane to China, but was taken into custody by Hong Kong authorities the day after the boys' bodies were found once he landed at Hong Kong International Airport, officials said.

China has no extradition treaty with the United States, but since 1998, Hong Kong has allowed the return of fugitives through a mutual legal assistance arrangement with the U.S.

--City News Service, photos courtesy of the LASD