WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Aug. 4, 2008

Pastor: Beheading Suspect Didn't Stand Out

Chinese Immigrant Accused Of Decapitating, Cannibalizing Man On Bus Worked At Church

    • Vince Weiguang Li, 40, is led into the Manitoba Provicial Court in Portage La Prairie, Man. on Aug. 1, 2008. Photo

      Vince Weiguang Li, 40, is led into the Manitoba Provicial Court in Portage La Prairie, Man. on Aug. 1, 2008.  (AP Photo/Winnipeg Free Press)

    • RCMP officers investigate a fatal stabbing that occured on a Greyhound bus on July 31, 2008. Photo

      RCMP officers investigate a fatal stabbing that occured on a Greyhound bus on July 31, 2008.  (AP PHOTO)

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(AP)  A man who witnesses said stabbed, beheaded and cannibalized a fellow traveler on a Greyhound bus immigrated to Canada from China four years ago and worked for a time as a church custodian, the pastor who employed him said.

Grant Memorial Church Pastor Tom Castor, who helped hire Vince Weiguang Li soon after he immigrated in 2004, said the man never showed any sign of anger or emotional problems.

"He seemed like a person who was happy to have a job, was committed to doing it well and didn't stand out in any way (in terms of) having anger issues or having any other issues," Castor said Sunday.

Li, 40, quit his job at the Winnipeg church in the spring of 2005 and later moved 840 miles northwest to Edmonton, where he worked at a fast-food restaurant and delivered newspapers. His paper delivery boss, Vincent Augert, also said Li was reliable, hardworking and did not show any signs of trouble.

Passengers on the bus described a horrific scene that began late Wednesday as they shuttled through the darkness along a desolate stretch of the TransCanada Highway about 12 miles from Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.

Thirty-seven passengers were abroad the Greyhound, some napping and others watching "The Legend of Zorro," when Li suddenly attacked his seat mate, 22-year-old Tim McLean.

Li allegedly stabbed McLean several dozen times as others fled the bus, witnesses said. He then severed McLean's head, displayed it to the frightened passengers gathered outside the bus and began hacking at the body. A police officer at the scene reported seeing the attacker hacking off pieces of the victim's body and eating them, according to a police tape leaked on the Internet.

Quote

We are very thorough in our assessments, and there was nothing we could have foreseen.

Grant Memorial Church Pastor Tom Castor
Li faces second-degree murder charges. He said nothing during his first court appearance Friday and has yet to enter a plea. He remains in custody and is due back in court Tuesday.

Church officials vetted Li by talking to people listed on his application as personal references. They also checked for a criminal record. There were no signs of trouble.

"We are very thorough in our assessments, and there was nothing we could have foreseen," Castor said.

He said Li's wife, Anna, who immigrated with him from China, was "shocked and very much afraid as to what this is going to mean for her own life."




© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

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Add a Comment See all 25 Comments
by petro49l August 4, 2008 1:03 PM PDT
Li should be examined by a surgeon for a full frontal lobotomy. The Court has every right to expect order and compliance. Li must be punished and serve as a example of corrected aberrant behavior.
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by estuardo40 August 4, 2008 1:05 PM PDT
After watching on you-tube, the CTV broadcast,and other news agencies, it''s amazing how much more information is given, aside from what CBS website is saying, for instance, how many people actually did come to the guys rescue, etc. I wonder why that was left out of the orginal story or why CBS hasn''t done much to follow-up with accurate details. I guess I won''t bother getting my news from here.
Reply to this comment
by estuardo40 August 4, 2008 1:05 PM PDT
After watching on you-tube, the CTV broadcast,and other news agencies, it''s amazing how much more information is given, aside from what CBS website is saying, for instance, how many people actually did come to the guys rescue, etc. I wonder why that was left out of the orginal story or why CBS hasn''t done much to follow-up with accurate details. I guess I won''t bother getting my news from here.
Reply to this comment
by andor3 August 4, 2008 1:13 PM PDT
"If I ever am in charge of hiring, I''''m gonna look for an arrest record, a trouble-maker, a guy with big red flags all over him. The "respectable" ones are just too scary."

yes--everyone has a dark side. The people who hide it or pretend is does not exist are the really scary ones because it will come out someday, at the worst time. Better to find your dark side, acknowledge it, take it out for a walk, but keep it on a leash and know how to control it.

This is the problem with so many religions: the idea that a person can be purely "good" and "evil" can be eliminated is worse than a lie, it is dangerous.
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by andor3 August 4, 2008 1:18 PM PDT
"After watching on you-tube, the CTV broadcast,and other news agencies, it''''s amazing how much more information is given, aside from what CBS website is saying,..."

And yet people will still, based only on what they read here, calmly suggest that a person they have never met--a complete stranger--be chopped up, tortured, mutilated, lobotomized, or worse... and suggest that they are on the side of good in making these suggestions.

Who is the real monster?
Reply to this comment
by txgrouch2006 August 4, 2008 1:25 PM PDT
immigrated to Canada from China four years ago

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So, is CHINA dumping their mental patients on other countries now? It''s VERY tough to get an exit permit from China. Normally one has to have high connections or pay a heavy bribe.
Reply to this comment
by txgrouch2006 August 4, 2008 1:38 PM PDT
Once again, a quiet, dutiful guy, never caused a problem. If I ever am in charge of hiring, I''''m gonna look for an arrest record, a trouble-maker, a guy with big red flags all over him. The "respectable" ones are just too scary.
Posted by kassandrasdu at 01:09 PM : Aug 04, 2008

He''s been in Canada only four years. Would YOU hire someone with only a four-year history on their resume?

I wonder what his history IN CHINA looks like...

Would China tell?
Reply to this comment
by ourtomorrows August 4, 2008 5:55 PM PDT
I have found it odd since this horrible situation came to light that none of the other passengers seemed to have tried to stop this maniac as he was killing the other man. No suitcases lobbed at him from what we have heard, no attempts to interrupt the murder.

I compare it to the gunman who attacked that church in Ten recently, in that situation, several members of the congregation attacked him while he was still armed, one of whom died in the struggle.

All of these people, including the driver, seemed to have simply got off the bus and allowed this nut to slaughter the young man. I don''t get it.
Reply to this comment
by ourtomorrows August 4, 2008 5:58 PM PDT
many people actually did come to the guys rescue, etc. I wonder why that was left out of the orginal story or why CBS hasn''''t done much to follow-up with accurate details. I guess I won''''t bother getting my news from here.

Posted by estuardo40

Please ignore my last post, I should have done a bit more research before posting.
Reply to this comment
by txgrouch2006 August 4, 2008 6:20 PM PDT
"He was definitely schizophrenic, probably paranoid schizophrenic," she said. "He needed help but he just wouldn''t get it."

There was the constant paranoia, a feeling that he was always being watched and that others might be out to get him.

quoted from the Winnipeg Free Press

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/story/4207740p-4800217c.html
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by patriot12436 August 4, 2008 6:23 PM PDT
I am not sure how China handles things, but if he had a record i would think he paid to make it disappaear so he could immigrate. I know the U.S. does a background check for criminal history on immigrants and assume that Canada does also.
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by trishab4 August 4, 2008 10:10 PM PDT
Oh! that was A CHRISTIAN who killed his seatmate. How about that? to the idiot islamophobics who spewed their hatred toward Muslims: Li was Cannibalistic CHRISTIAN. He killed his seatmate, decapitate him and ate his flesh... Isn''t that terrible! Those Church serving Christians are Cannibals.
Reply to this comment
by trishab4 August 4, 2008 10:10 PM PDT
Oh! that was A CHRISTIAN who killed his seatmate. How about that? to the idiot islamophobics who spewed their hatred toward Muslims: Li was Cannibalistic CHRISTIAN. He killed his seatmate, decapitate him and ate his flesh... Isn''t that terrible! Those Church serving Christians are Cannibals.
Reply to this comment
by trishab4 August 4, 2008 10:10 PM PDT
Oh! that was A CHRISTIAN who killed his seatmate. How about that? to the idiot islamophobics who spewed their hatred toward Muslims: Li was Cannibalistic CHRISTIAN. He killed his seatmate, decapitate him and ate his flesh... Isn''t that terrible! Those Church serving Christians are Cannibals.
Reply to this comment
by trishab4 August 4, 2008 10:10 PM PDT
Oh! that was A CHRISTIAN who killed his seatmate. How about that? to the idiot islamophobics who spewed their hatred toward Muslims: Li was Cannibalistic CHRISTIAN. He killed his seatmate, decapitate him and ate his flesh... Isn''t that terrible! Those Church serving Christians are Cannibals.
Reply to this comment
by deacon20081 August 4, 2008 10:40 PM PDT
Perhaps he missed the dog liver and veggies they are serving at the Olympics.... all kidding aside they are serving Dog livers and Dog Brain Soup.
That diet would make anyone crazy!
Reply to this comment
by rhs648 August 5, 2008 12:11 AM PDT
Oh! that was A CHRISTIAN who killed his seatmate. How about that? to the idiot islamophobics who spewed their hatred toward Muslims: Li was Cannibalistic CHRISTIAN. He killed his seatmate, decapitate him and ate his flesh... Isn''''t that terrible! Those Church serving Christians are Cannibals.

Posted by trishab4

You indict all Christians because of the act of one individual. You are naive, shallow, and stupid. One can only assume that you posted your childish post to annoy people. If you are serious, you have some very real problems and should consider pyschiatric help.
Reply to this comment
by babooph August 5, 2008 4:08 AM PDT
The Christians should be in Iraq,where their torture & killing is the norm,bus riders just want to visit their family.
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by katutuj August 5, 2008 4:47 AM PDT
I guess some people are meant to be vimpires only to find themselves human beings!so at any given time they will find an excuse to commit such an act.
Reply to this comment
by katutuj August 5, 2008 4:47 AM PDT
I guess some people are meant to be vimpires only to find themselves human beings!so at any given time they will find an excuse to commit such an act.
Reply to this comment
by trishab4 August 5, 2008 6:33 AM PDT
You are naive, shallow, and stupid. One can only assume that you posted your childish post to annoy people. If you are serious, you have some very real problems and should consider pyschiatric help.
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Posted by rhs648 at 12:11 AM : Aug 05, 2008

-Oh well Christians killed babies, raped 14 yr girls and killed her family before torched them , torture in Iraq Abou Ghraib, eat co-religion Human flesh in Canada, all that in the name of Jeasus... nice story. Huh! Chinese Christians decapitate seatmates and George Liar935 Bush is off to China to celebrate that event... And you say I''m deranged?
Reply to this comment
by trishab4 August 5, 2008 6:33 AM PDT
You are naive, shallow, and stupid. One can only assume that you posted your childish post to annoy people. If you are serious, you have some very real problems and should consider pyschiatric help.
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Posted by rhs648 at 12:11 AM : Aug 05, 2008

-Oh well Christians killed babies, raped 14 yr girls and killed her family before torched them , torture in Iraq Abou Ghraib, eat co-religion Human flesh in Canada, all that in the name of Jeasus... nice story. Huh! Chinese Christians decapitate seatmates and George Liar935 Bush is off to China to celebrate that event... And you say I''m deranged?
Reply to this comment
by wellhell3 August 5, 2008 10:09 AM PDT
-Oh well Christians killed babies, raped 14 yr girls and killed her family before torched them , torture in Iraq Abou Ghraib, eat co-religion Human flesh in Canada, all that in the name of Jeasus... nice story. Huh! Chinese Christians decapitate seatmates and George Liar935 Bush is off to China to celebrate that event... And you say I''''m deranged?


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Posted by trishab4 at 06:33 AM : Aug 05,

Good Gawwwwwwwd!
Reply to this comment
by navyvet77 August 5, 2008 4:12 PM PDT
And you say I''''m deranged?

Posted by trishab4 at 06:33 AM : Aug 05, 2008

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I don''t think you are deranged but I do feel pretty confident that you are a Kool Aid drinking idiot who has no idea what your talking about. Hay...slow down...you suppose to sip the Kool Aid, not gulp it.
Reply to this comment
by libsluv2spit August 5, 2008 6:47 PM PDT
-Oh well Christians killed babies, raped 14 yr girls and killed her family before torched them , torture in Iraq Abou Ghraib, eat co-religion Human flesh in Canada, all that in the name of Jeasus... nice story. Huh! Chinese Christians decapitate seatmates and George Liar935 Bush is off to China to celebrate that event... And you say I''''''''m deranged?


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Posted by trishab4 at 06:33 AM : Aug 05,

**********

from what you said..you are implying that our brave soldiers are all christians..rapes little girls..THEN BURN THEM ..then goes to canada to eat canadian circus freaks..a chinese WORKING in a church (which automatically made him a ''chinese christian) ate a canadian so he can get a salary increase from jesus??? Bush goes to china to celebrate ''flesh eating''??????????

buddy you are not deranged..our are outright demented.

here is a hint..dont take your acid when you watch your oliver stone movies..

*******there you go folks another liberal calling our soldiers baby killers are rapists********

(and they want them home because they care about them ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!)
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