Anxiang Du was born in China in 1960 and later moved to the United Kingdom. He practiced traditional Chinese medicine and, along with his wife, Can Chen, operated herbal remedy shops in various UK cities. In 1999, Du entered into a business partnership with Jifeng "Jeff" Ding and his wife, Ge "Helen" Chui. However, the partnership deteriorated, leading to a protracted legal battle that lasted over a decade. Du lost the case and was ordered to pay substantial legal costs, which left him financially ruined and embittered.

On April 29, 2011, Du traveled from his home in Coventry to the Ding family's residence in Wootton, Northamptonshire. Armed with a knife, he entered their home and murdered Jeff and Helen Ding in the kitchen. He then proceeded upstairs and killed their daughters, Xing "Nancy" (18) and Alice (12), who were hiding in a bedroom. The attack was brutal; Jeff was stabbed 23 times, Helen 13 times, Xing 11 times, and Alice 4 times.

After the murders, Du stole the family's car and fled the country, traveling through France and Spain before arriving in Morocco. He lived there for 14 months before being arrested on July 7, 2012. Du was extradited to the UK on February 20, 2013, and stood trial at Northampton Crown Court. He was found guilty of all four murders on November 27, 2013, and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years.