Murdered: Yingying Zhang
When Chinese graduate student Yingying Zhang agreed to spend a year in America, she did so by looking forward to the opportunities it would present for her future. However, in June of 2017, 26-year-old Yingying would go missing while on her way to an appointment. Over the next several weeks, a dark saga would begin to play out as police began figuring out what had happened to her.
Episode Information:
An endowment fund has been created to honor Yingying and support international students in crisis. You can donate to the fund here.
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Episode Source Material
- Wikipedia – Kidnapping and murder of Yingying Zhang
- Official Criminal Complaint
- Official Opening Statements
- FBI – Surveillance Video
- Illinois University Police Department – Updates & Images
- WCIA – Reporter’s Notebook: Complete notes from the Christensen trial
- The News-Gazette – “FBI offers up to $10,000 reward for info leading to missing scholar”
- Chicago Sun Times – “‘Wannabe serial killer’ Googled murder instructions before Chinese scholar disappeared”
- WTTW – “Brendt Christensen Offered to Reveal Location of Yingying Zhang’s Body”
- WTTW – “Finding Yingying Zhang’s Remains ‘May Be Impossible’ Family Says After New Details Surface”
- CBS Chicago – “Yingying Zhang’s Family Told Her Body Likely In Landfill Near Danville, But ‘May Be Impossible’ To Recover”
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