Family members found dead in Surrey, B.C., home were 'happy with their life,' neighbour says

The three family members found dead inside their Surrey, B.C., home this week ran a tutoring business together, according to their stunned neighbours.

Homicide investigators have identified the deceased as 58-year-old Li Li, 56-year-old Xiao Yan Zhen and 24-year-old Daniel Li.

Jean Zhou, a family friend and neighbour, said Li and Zhen emigrated from China about 20 years ago and raised their son Daniel in the Lower Mainland.

Each of them tutored different subjects out of a home business started by Zhen, she said.

"They were a very, very good family," Zhou told reporters outside of the property Tuesday. "They were very happy with their life."

Li and Zhen both attended Peking University, where they studied physics and French, respectively, their neighbour said. While they initially took jobs at Future Shop and Sears after moving to British Columbia, they were eventually able to make a living tutoring local students from Fraser Heights Secondary.

"Chinese families, they all send their kids to (their) house," Zhou said.

After the couple's son went off to university and earned his own degree in English, he came home to tutor with them, Zhou said.

On Monday, police were called to their home on 112 Avenue shortly after noon and found three bodies on the property.

There was no one else at home when officers arrived, and authorities said they don't believe there to be any lingering public safety threat.

"Preliminary evidence suggests there is no outstanding suspect, though we are not ruling out any investigative theory," Sgt. Timothy Pierotti of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said in a statement Tuesday.

The deaths shocked the neighbourhood, and left those who knew the family grappling with unanswered questions.

IHIT said investigators would be canvassing the area throughout the day Tuesday as they work to determine what happened.

Authorities asked anyone with information on the incident to contact IHIT at 1-877-551-4448.