Deceased/Not Found IL - Yingying Zhang, 26, Urbana, 9 June 2017 #2 *Arrest*

[Leader6518]

That person can scrub away however anyone that was in the group with him must know the FBI is watching and guessing made contact with the ones in direct contact with him.

I wonder about his past relationships, close friends etc... were there red flags ? Did he start having a mental breakdown or schizophrenia. I find the way he did it very odd. Daylight hours in his car...takes to his apartment. It doesn't seem Ike he cared if he was caught.


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I think he had been thinking about abduction for some time and on impulse acted on it.

 

[liltexans]

Man accused of abducting Chinese grad student had visited kidnap fetish website, feds say

Just before 2 p.m., minutes before she was supposed to sign the rental agreement, the Chinese student missed a bus she tried to flag down near campus, court documents say. She walked to another bus stop, and appeared “distressed.”


The investigation unearthed another detail: Christensen had read up on abducting someone using the fetish-oriented social networking website “FetLife.” Particularly, FBI agents say, he frequented a forum called “Abduction 101.” Some of its sub threads include “abduction fantasy” and “planning a kidnapping.”

The website bills itself as a place for users to connect with other people interested in bondage, sadomasochism and more obscure sexual fetish fantasies.

A search of Christensen’s phone showed he’d visited the site in April, FBI agents say.

Representatives for Fetlife did not respond to an email message seeking comment Saturday. But the “Abduction 101” section had a new topic: “Brendt Christensen.”

In court documents, investigators say they presume Zhang is dead, but they have not said what led them to that conclusion. No murder charges have been filed. Christensen remained in jail early Saturday and it was unclear if he had hired an attorney.

 

[Elainera]

I just realized I misunderstood something: he had already dropped out of his PhD program last year, not just recently, and he received his master's degree this May. So he was basically done with his studies in May.

First thing that came to mind is how addicts behave, they withdraw from school, studies, friends, work, etc because their addiction becomes too all-consuming. I wonder whether he was a *advertiser censored* addict. jmo

 

[Skigirl]

So, I noticed on Facebook that he belonged to a group for UIUC grad students for the Summer of 2017. You need a uiuc.edu email address to join, but otherwise it's public. I wonder if Yingying belonged to the group.

 

[proctorelites]

...
First thing that came to mind is how addicts behave, they withdraw from school, studies, friends, work, etc because their addiction becomes too all-consuming. I wonder whether he was a *advertiser censored* addict. jmo

I have seen this *advertiser censored* addiction crap. It's shocking and can effect the person you least expect. They DO want what they see in this online world; once they get to a certain point. Not all ppl who watch *advertiser censored* are included in this statement. But, I completely believe this is a possibility.


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[liltexans]

[video=twitter;881250226534838272]https://twitter.com/mtarm/status/881250226534838272[/video]

 

[Elainera]

Oh man, she was just such a sweet girl! Look at her face, her smile! I'm just heartbroken! *tears*

 

[liltexans]

Man arrested, charged with kidnapping visiting Chinese scholar in U.S.

FBI agents first talked to Christensen, who owns one of the 18 four-door Saturn Astra cars registered in Champaign County, he said he was either sleeping or playing video games at home when Zhang went missing.

However, later when police reviewed the surveillance video footage of Zhang's last appearance, it was found the vehicle which Zhang entered had a cracked hubcap on the front passenger side, which matched Christensen's car and made the FBI put him under surveillance.


The Chinese Consulate-General in Chicago also conveyed deep condolences to Zhang's family. In a statement, the diplomat expressed "strong indignation and condemnation" of the kidnapping and called on the U.S. judiciary to "bring the criminal to justice."

 

[nezined]

My theory is that something happened when YZ was in the passenger seat and that's why the forensic expert reported that the seat was cleaned so heavily compared to the rest of the car. So I believe she was incapacitated and he carried her to his apt.

It doesn't explain how no one saw this though. Maybe witnesses will come forward or already have to LE.

Do locals know what type of apartment complex it was (each unit rented by separate landlords or is there management for the building?) Are there cameras? Would the residents mostly be students, families, a mix?

These are questions I'm asking myself. All
MOO


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Here's the website of the management company that runs Stonegate: https://www.roysebrinkmeyer.com/champaign/stonegate-village/

No specific information listed on leasing protocols, but it seems like one company manages the entire complex. Most likely filled with local townies, or other grad students. Undergrads tend to live much closer to campus, or at more established gated communities like One North (which is where one of the bus lines ends, the 22 Illini.)

What gets me is how was he able to get Ms. Zhang inside of his apartment in the middle of the afternoon without being seen? He either lied about having a room for rent, covertly implied threat of violence somehow or subdued her in another location and concealed her body. The first two options seem the most likely to me.

As far as cameras go, I do know of a gas station located just east of the complex on the other side of Kenwood Drive on Springfield Ave., that most likely has external cameras. I'm sure LE is probably all over those. However, if BC was smart enough, he may have used alternate routes. Springfield is a very busy street, even during the summer.

One possible route is by traveling east on John Street and approaching Stonegate from the south on Kenwood. There are a few business north of Centennial High School on John Street, but I'm not sure if any have external cameras.

 

[liltexans]

[video=twitter;881253048961683456]https://twitter.com/UofILSystem/status/881253048961683456[/video]

 

[Cardinal47]

<modsnip>

Also can anybody capsulize just how he was found out and arrested? I have read he told somebody he kidnapped Yingying but did they report him? How did the FBI find him out.

I know it's still new but how was he outed? Gosh I hope they find her. Her poor parents.

 

[Ursamajr]

They may be horrified but seriously wt* does one think might occur ? They are on a site for fetish behavior. I understand to each their own and no judgement... you are opening the doors though for sick humans on these sites .

Fetish:b : an object of irrational reverence or obsessive devotion : prepossession
c : an object or bodily part whose real or fantasied presence is psychologically necessary for sexual gratification and that is an object of fixation to the extent that it may interfere with complete sexual expression


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<modsnip> I myself condemn him. The fetlife community is mostly comprised of consenting adults who safely express their ideas and lives. <modsnip> IMHO


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[Cardinal47]

<modsnip>

Surely seems like somebody would see something. Are the apartments set up so you get out of the car and go right in or do you have to park on a side, walk around and go up stairs?

 

[MLE]

I think you're confusing anime with Disney/Pixar. Completely different genres. Much broader age appeal.

I'm aware of what it is, but I guess there's a generational/regional gap. I've spent most of my life in South Korea and the southeastern USA and I just haven't met any adults who watch animations, but I'm from a different geographical area and an older generation than Mr. Christensen so it just seemed strange to me. The same thing with his music videos. I overhear the daughters of my Korean friends talking about the K-pop bands and singing the songs, but it was a surprise to see a 28-year old man from Illinois so into those J-pop videos.

Obviously most grown-ups who watch anime and most of the thousands of people who chat in that kidnapping fetish chatroom wouldn't kidnap and murder another human being. I have no ill will toward adults who watch Japanese animations or have kidnapping fetishes. But I still feel so sad that Ms. Zhang got in the car with Mr. Christensen. Sorry.

 

[Satchie]

Do locals know what type of apartment complex it was (each unit rented by separate landlords or is there management for the building?) Are there cameras? Would the residents mostly be students, families, a mix?

Snipped by me for focus.

I only know from the web, but it's a single owner complex of apartments in small buildings, which looks to me to be well managed and probably a nice place to live. https://www.swimsgv.com.

There's no gate to enter the complex. Considering it's outdoor parking, and advertizes secured entrances, you'd think they'd have a least a few video cameras.

So then I got a bit obsessive, and started comparing the photos of the FBI at the apartment from the reporter https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1882457541968977&id=1639985526216181, with Google satellite, to figure out where they were. My best guess

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[liltexans]

MOD NOTE:

Some of you may have missed the previous warnings in this fast moving thread so I'll post another one.

Please do not sleuth or mention the perp's wife. The only media source I have seen that says he has a wife is heavy.com and this is the quote from their article:

A family obit from 2013 indicated that Christensen was married. Heavy has blurred out the face of Christensen&#8217;s wife at the request of a relative who described her as being in stressful state and because there is no indication or claim that she had any involvement in his alleged crimes.

http://heavy.com/news/2017/06/brendt-christensen-yingying-zhang-brent-facebook-photos-suspect/

Unless and until LE names the perp's wife a POI or suspect, she is off limits for any discussion or even speculation that she might or could have helped or known what the perp was doing.

 

[thekarmabus]

<modsnip> I myself condemn him. The fetlife community is mostly comprised of consenting adults who safely express their ideas and lives. <modsnip> IMHO


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Apologies, I did not mean it in a way that was putting down people with fetishes in general. A page dedicated to fantasy play regarding abduction and kidnapping imo is very dangerous. Abductions imo are not fantasy. They are a reality for many and a person such as this guy used the site perhaps for tips.


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[mrsobrien]

Man accused of abducting Chinese grad student had visited kidnap fetish website, feds say

Just before 2 p.m., minutes before she was supposed to sign the rental agreement, the Chinese student missed a bus she tried to flag down near campus, court documents say. She walked to another bus stop, and appeared “distressed.”


The investigation unearthed another detail: Christensen had read up on abducting someone using the fetish-oriented social networking website “FetLife.” Particularly, FBI agents say, he frequented a forum called “Abduction 101.” Some of its sub threads include “abduction fantasy” and “planning a kidnapping.”

The website bills itself as a place for users to connect with other people interested in bondage, sadomasochism and more obscure sexual fetish fantasies.

A search of Christensen’s phone showed he’d visited the site in April, FBI agents say.

Representatives for Fetlife did not respond to an email message seeking comment Saturday. But the “Abduction 101” section had a new topic: “Brendt Christensen.”

In court documents, investigators say they presume Zhang is dead, but they have not said what led them to that conclusion. No murder charges have been filed. Christensen remained in jail early Saturday and it was unclear if he had hired an attorney.

To clarify... He *joined* Fetife in April and was active until 24 days ago. His full activity log was on his profile last night.

 

[Skigirl]

So, here's something of no particular importance but it certainly is odd! The chief of police of the U of Illinois police's last name is...wait for it... Christensen!

https://illinois.edu/blog/view/7513/518379

 

[Garden Variety]

Wondering if the roommate wore a wire to get the confession. Someone very close to the alleged perp must have. Good work by LE.