A man who was found guilty in the slaying of Richmond loan shark Rong Lilly Li lost his conviction appeal Tuesday.
In October 2009, a B.C. Supreme Court jury found Chu Ming Feng guilty in the May 2006 first-degree murder of Li, 41, who also worked as an employee at the River Rock Casino.
Feng, who was 29 at the time of the offence, and another man lured Li out of the casino and into a van.
Once she was inside the vehicle, Feng and his accomplice, Gou Wei Liang, looped a black leather belt around her neck and strangled her.
The two men went through Li's purse, taking $500 in cash and $2,000 in casino chips.
The next day they drove the van to Jericho Beach in Vancouver and buried the body in a shallow grave.
At trial, Feng admitted he had committed manslaughter or second-degree murder, but said he didn't have the necessary intent for first-degree murder. He received the mandatory sentence of life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
Liang remains at large. For more stories, visit www.theprovince.com.
