Women Shout Out Australia

This is a count of women killed by known or suspected male violence in a Australia, jointly undertaken by Reclaim the Night Perth and Women Shout Out Australia.

Mengmei (Michelle) Leng, 25, a Chinese international student, was reported missing by her family on Anzac Day after it was claimed she failed to return to her Campsie home from a shopping trip four days earlier.

On Friday 29 April, NSW homicide detectives arrested 27-year-old Derek Barrett, of Newcastle, who is Ms Leng’s uncle, at Campsie Police Station. He was later charged with her murder.

Ms Leng’s body was discovered by a tourist at the NSW Snapper Point blowhole at the Lake Munmorah National Park about 10:30am on Sunday 24 April. She was naked and had been stabbed multiple times in the neck. She had no jewellery, no personal items and no tattoos, and remained unidentified for three days.

Ms Leng lived with her uncle in Campsie, along with her aunt and cousin.

Mr Barrett was refused bail and appeared in Parramatta Local Court via video link today. He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused by the court.

Barrett is due to appear at Burwood Local Court on May 4.

Condolences go to Ms Leng’s family and friends.

News links:

• http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/uncle-charged-with-murder-of-chinese-student-michelle-leng-20160429-goirkf.html#ixzz47IaAXHQp
• http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-30/man-charged-with-murder-of-woman-found-in-blowhole/7372736

 

Background:
We report the deaths of women as accurately as possible, updating these records as we are able to. If we have misreported any facts of this case, please contact us. We do not wish to affect any future court actions and will neither publish posts nor comments which do this.
Please bear in mind cultural sensitivities when sharing these reports. Where it is not culturally appropriate to do so, we will not report the victim’s name.

If you have any additional information about women killed by male violence in Australia in 2016, please email us at wimms@womenshoutoutaustralia.com or via the facebook pages of Reclaim the Night Perth or Women Shout Out Australia.