The officer leading the Croydon Road murder investigation has said there has been a good response to last night’s Crimewatch appeal.
Between 9pm and 10pm last night a reconstruction surrounding the Croydon Road murder investigation was screened on the Crimewatch programme.
The appeal particularly focused on the search for a missing lodger and three people seen outside the property on Thursday August 7, the last date on which either of the victims was seen alive.
Northumbria Police Detective Superintendent Steve Wade, senior investigating officer, said: “We have had a good response so far to the new appeal, receiving a number of interesting calls and texts containing potentially important information regarding the case.
“We have received several calls identifying the man seen in the street from the artist’s impression.
“An anonymous caller rang in with the identity of a man who they said may know the lodger and we have received a text from an individual saying that they know who is responsible for the murders.
“All of the information we have received is now being examined and investigated.”
The reconstruction included a portrayal of the last known movements of the two victims Xi Zhou and her boyfriend Zhen Xing Yang, both aged 25, who were found dead shortly after 4.30pm, on Saturday, August 9, at 8 Croydon Road, the home they shared in Newcastle.
As well as police officers answering phones at the London Crimewatch studio, officers also manned phones in the Major Incident Room in Byker Police Station, where the investigation is based, from 4pm until late into the night. Anyone with information about the murders or the two victims, should contact Northumbria Police, on 08456 043043 or 03456 043 043.
Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555111, or call Northumbria Police’s Mandarin and Cantonese message service, on 0191 221 8200.
Northumbria Police has also set up a stand alone email address where people can leave messages in their chosen language, the address is [email protected]