Beneath the Surface: The Lin Family Tragedy

On a quiet winter morning in July 2009, the Lin family’s news agency in North Epping, Sydney, remained eerily shuttered. What began as a missed opening soon unravelled into one of Australia’s most haunting and complex murder cases. In this episode, we delve into the brutal slaying of five members of the Lin family—Min Lin, his wife Lily, their two sons, and Lily’s sister—inside their suburban home.

As police pieced together the crime scene, a chilling portrait of betrayal emerged. At the centre of the investigation stood a man once considered family: Robert Xie, Min Lin’s brother-in-law. With no signs of forced entry and a web of circumstantial evidence, the case would stretch across years, four trials, and a nation’s collective grief.

We explore the forensic breakthroughs—including the infamous “Stain 91” DNA evidence—and the emotional toll on sole survivor Brenda Lin, who courageously rebuilt her life while testifying against the man who shattered it.

Join us as we navigate the labyrinth of lies, loyalty, and loss in a case that tested the limits of forensic science and the resilience of the human spirit.

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