A 30-year-old man who allegedly killed his girlfriend, a male friend and three of the friend's family members on New Year's Eve in Daxing district will soon face a hearing, City No 1 Intermediate Court officials said on Wednesday.

Zhang Wei, of Wuchang, Heilongjiang province, is charged with intentional homicide.

His hearing will be held soon and, if convicted, he could face the death penalty, Zhou Wanyi, press officer from the court, told METRO.

Zhang lived with his girlfriend in a rented house near the Jiugong area of Daxing district. On Dec 31, the pair had dinner with their friend Shen Youming in a restaurant in the Jiugong area. The trio drank a lot of alcohol, authorities said.

After dinner, Shen drove them back home. Shen was invited to come in for a chat, during which time Shen made sarcastic remarks about Zhang, police said.

The two men quarreled and fought. Zhang took a fruit knife and stabbed Shen to death, police said. When his girlfriend cried for help after seeing the bloody scene, the desperate Zhang reportedly killed her in fear of being caught.

Zhang sat in his flat for an hour before driving directly to Shen's home, according to local media reports.

Using a key he had taken off Shen, Zhang attempted, but failed, to open the door to the unit, where Shen's pregnant wife and parents were sleeping.

Zhang knocked loudly on the door and shouted. Shen's wife replied, "I've gone to bed," causing Zhang to become even more irritated and to kick the door, police said.

Shen's wife opened the door and Zhang stabbed her, said police, who noted the struggle lasted about five minutes.

Shen's wife was seriously injured and his mother, also involved in the attack, died immediately at the scene. Zhang immediately returned to his rented house, during which time Zhang's father, who had also been stabbed, reported the crime to the police with his dying breath, authorities said.

Zhang then returned to Shen's home, fatally stabbed Shen's wife and tried to kill himself by slitting his wrist, according to reports. Police then took him into custody.