Robert Xie has been found guilty of murdering five of his wife's relatives, including two young boys, more than seven years after the family was bludgeoned in their Sydney home.
Xie, 53, murdered the relatives of his wife Kathy Lin in their North Epping home in the early hours of July 18, 2009, a New South Wales Supreme Court jury found today after eight days of deliberations.
He told the jury "I did not murder the Lin family, I am innocent", as they left after delivering their majority verdict.
His wife Kathy, Lily Lin's sister, began to cry. She has maintained her support for him throughout the trial.
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Xie used a hammer-like object to inflict horrific head injuries on his newsagent brother-in-law Min Lin, 45; Min's wife Lily, 43; her sister Irene, 39; and the Lins' two sons, Henry, 12, and Terry, nine.
The former ear, nose and throat specialist, who was arrested in May 2011, faced two aborted trials and a third lasting nine months which resulted in a hung jury.
Xie was found to have left their bed in the early hours of July 18, 2009, hours after attending a "normal" Friday night dinner with his extended family.
His wife confirmed his alibi, that he didn't leave their bed that night, but the Crown suggested Xie sedated her before creeping into the Lin residence around the corner.
Ms Lin lied at times to "assist" her husband, not because she knew he was guilty but because she was convinced he was framed by police, prosecutor Tanya Smith said.
At the Lin house, Xie disconnected the electricity before making his way upstairs in the dark.
He then beat his newsagent brother-in-law, Min and Lily as they lay in their bed.
He did the same to Lily's sister, Irene, in the next room.
Blood splatters revealed a furious struggle took place in the third bedroom occupied by Xie's nephews.
But Henry and Terry still suffered the same shocking fate in the North Epping home.
"This was a well-planned crime of a personal nature, by a single person who has carefully improvised a murder weapon," Ms Smith said.
Xie believed he was entitled to respect and admiration within the extended family, but felt he was denied this because of the uncritical and misplaced high regard given to Min Lin.
The Crown also contended that Xie had a sexual motive, details of which cannot be published for legal reasons.
Four of the victims died from the combined effects of blunt force trauma and asphyxia, involving injuries indicative of neck compression.
The Crown cited Xie's medical skills, while Witness A, who was in jail with Xie, said Xie showed him a particular location on the neck, which was incapacitating.
Witness A also testified to seeing Xie, who always appeared calm in the dock, screaming at an elderly inmate who was using a walking frame.
"The whole (exercise) yard stopped," he said.
"It was like zero to 100."
Defence barrister Robert Webb had argued the "highly organised" and brutal execution involved multiple assailants, also contending that Xie got on well with his relatives.
He particularly loved his nephew Henry whom he treated like a son.
But the Crown said the boys and Irene were "collateral damage" or secondary victims who may have woken up when the adults were being murdered.
"The Crown case is that he came to kill Min and Lily and was prepared to kill others should the need arise."
A timeline of the case:
2009:
* July 17 - Members of the extended Lin family get together for their regular Friday night dinner at the home of grandparents Yang Fei Lim and Feng Qin Zhu
* July 18 - The battered bodies of newsagent Min Lin, 45; his wife Lily Lin, 43; their sons Henry 12, and Terry, nine; and Lily's sister Irene, 39 are found in their North Epping home
* July 29 - Min's sister Kathy Lin and her husband Robert Xie make an emotional plea for public help in solving the crimes
* May 5 - Robert Xie is charged with the murders
2012
* December 19 - Xie committed to stand trial
2014
* May 9 - NSW Supreme Court trial starts before Justice Peter Johnson
* June 10 - Jury discharged for legal reasons
* August 5 - Second trial starts
September 23 - Jury discharged because of ill-health of Justice Johnson
2015
* February - Third trial starts before Justice Elizabeth Fullerton
* November 12 - Jury begins deliberations
* December 1 - Jury discharged after failing to reach verdict
December 11 - Xie released from prison on bail after spending almost five years behind bars without a conviction
2016
* June 29 - Fourth trial starts before Justice Fullerton
* Dec 23 - Xie's bail revoked before imminent retirement of the jury
* Dec 30 - Jury begins deliberations
2017
* Jan 12 - Xie found guilty of murdering five members of the Lin family.