The man who murdered his ex-wife in West Auckland has been sentenced to life in prison and with a minimum non-parole period of 19 years.
Manchao Li in court. Photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith
Li Manchao attacked Yang Zhimin in broad daylight on Westgate Drive in Massey on the morning of 29 July 2019, as she waited for a bus to take her to the library where she worked.
The 65-year-old was also sentenced to three years imprisonment for breaching a protection order that had been made to protect her after years of stalking and harassment.
Li stabbed Yang 10 times on the front of her body, including through her heart.
He amassed a cache of hunting knives prior to the attack and had told his mental health support person he would seek redress for a property dispute by chopping off his ex-wife's hands and feet if he could not get a resolution through the courts.
Witnesses described hearing screams of terror as the attack unfolded just off a public footpath.
The prosecution argued Li murdered Yang, but his defence said his fragile mental health meant he was guilty of manslaughter.
Yang's murder has had a lasting impact on her relatives including her mother, who now suffers from severe depression.