A county head has been found murdered with his family and their nursemaid in southwest China's Guizhou Province, local police said Wednesday.

Wen Jiangang, magistrate of Xingren County in Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, his wife, son, mother-in-law, sister and nursemaid were found dead at home on Tuesday morning.

Wen's brother-in-law called police after making the gruesome discovery when he came to look for his wife (Wen's sister), who went to Wen's home on Monday and never returned.

Police believed the six were murdered on Monday evening, but they would give no further details on Wen or the crime.

A task force of more than 100 police has been dispatched to investigate the killings.

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2006)