NANNING - A court in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Sunday upheld a verdict that put three people on the death row for killing a tax official and three of his family.

The higher people's court in Guangxi dismissed appeals by Ling Xiaojuan and her two accomplices, Liu Shengming and Su Kezhang, who together killed the four.

Armed with hammers and knives, they killed Zhou Zixiong, 44, a tax bureau official in the city of Hezhou, and his wife and teenage son and daughter in their home on May 2, 2011.

They also stole 24,000 yuan ($3,809) in cash and valuable items from the victims' home.

Police later apprehended the three murderers led by Ling Xiaojuan, younger sister of Zhou's 47-year-old wife Ling Xiaoyun.

A police investigation showed that Ling Xiaojuan had held a grudge against her sister related to family financial issues and responsibilities. She was also envious of her sister's family's property, which she hoped would be inherited by her mother, thus enabling herself to be a beneficiary.

The Intermediate People's Court of Hezhou sentenced the three to death  for murder on November 9.

The death sentences of the three by the regional higher people's court will be submitted to the Supreme People's Court for review and approval.