The family of murdered Concordia University student Jun Lin says his horrifying death left his loved ones "at a breaking point," but they found some solace in the kindness and generosity of strangers they encountered on their emotional trip to Canada.
In a letter obtained by CTV News, Lin's family describes the shock they felt when news of the 33-year-old's murder and dismemberment made headlines around the world.
"…Faced with this hard-to-imagine death blow, we were physically and psychologically at a breaking point," the letter reads.
Read excerpts from the letter here
Lin's gruesome murder left the family shattered, but it also "inspired a powerful outpouring of sympathy and charity in people…allowing us to be deeply moved and gratified in our time of deep sorrow," his relatives wrote.
Two weeks ago, Lin's dismembered torso was found in a suitcase outside a Montreal apartment building. Other body parts were mailed to political party offices in Ottawa and schools in Vancouver.
The discovery prompted a massive police investigation and an international manhunt for the accused killer, Luka Rocco Magnotta.
Magnotta, a 29-year-old porn actor and model, was eventually arrested at a Berlin Internet café reading stories about himself online. He remains in a German prison awaiting extradition to Canada.
In their letter, Lin's family members called for Magnotta's extradition "as soon as possible…to heal the wounds brought about to our family, the Chinese community and society as a whole."
Lin's parents, sister and uncle arrived in Montreal from China on June 5 to meet with police investigators, collect their son's belongings and begin the grim task of preparing for his funeral.
Lin, who studied computer engineering at Concordia University, was described as an "exceptional student" by school officials, his family wrote in the letter.
Lin's boss at a Montreal convenience store also called him "a model employee," they wrote.
Concordia University has established a fund for Lin's family to help cover the cost of their trip to Canada and Lin's funeral. The school has also announced a student award in Lin's name to benefit other Chinese students.
Lin grew up believing in Buddhism, his family said, and always wanted to "do good for others."
They described him as a kind-hearted person who was always respectful to his parents and caring toward his sister.
"Jun Lin is the pride of our entire family," they wrote.
