Deceased/Not Found IL - Yingying Zhang, 26, Urbana, 9 June 2017 #3 *Arrest*

[Elainera]

I sincerely doubt he was on bumble considering he (IMO) apparently views women as less-than and he needs to be in control at all times. Bumble requires women to make the first move so I'm sure he vetoed that one.

But yeah, it's creepy and weird for a married man to be so obsessed with finding dates. I know he's in an open marriage and all, but SO. many. active. dating. profiles...

bbm - maybe he had no luck with women so he kept trying elsewhere.

Re. open marriage, I *think* (not sure) couples who are both into BDSM don't mind other sex partners for play? (I once knew a BDSM guy and I think I remember him explaining this to me - didn't pay enough attention, obviously lol!)

 

[Yellow]

Illinois kidnapping statutes:

https://kidnapping.uslegal.com/state-kidnapping-abduction-laws/illinois-kidnappingabduction-laws/

Yeah, the statute talks about using force, deceit, enticement. Based on the video, I don't think they could prove that beyond a reasonable doubt as she got in the car and it does not appear there was force. There ended up being deceit but that may prove hard to prove because you have to infer it based on his subsequent actions. The audio recording is key here, though I find LE 's wording weird when they refer to the audio making it clear that she was "held against her will." He would not have used those words in a conversation - too legalistic - so he must have said something that made it clear she did not want to be there, i.e perhaps tied up, etc.

In all, they have to find the body. I am just so afraid he would walk or get less than life if they don't find it. You have strong circumstantial evidence and the audio but still, who knows what story he would make up.

 

[citigirl]

(1) the person is willfully transported in interstate or foreign commerce, regardless of whether the person was alive when transported across a State boundary, or the offender travels in interstate or foreign commerce or uses the mail or any means, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce in committing or in furtherance of the commission of the offense;

re: the federal charges. This is from the kidnapping statute. I am wondering if use of the internet to plan the crime or the coverup is the basis for continuing use of the federal kidnapping statute.

 

[Tinypeeps]

Achievements were logged on his Steam account during those times. I believe you have to be active to procure those.
...

Between 6/7 and 6/24, you mean?

 

[Eileen730]

Maybe physics was another obsession, one he seemed to drop abruptly after years of dedication ...the gym too.

I'm learning: BC doesn't dabble. He's all in or all out.

I think his fantasies took over his real life.
Like drugs or alcohol.

 

[Yellow]

(1) the person is willfully transported in interstate or foreign commerce, regardless of whether the person was alive when transported across a State boundary, or the offender travels in interstate or foreign commerce or uses the mail or any means, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce in committing or in furtherance of the commission of the offense;

re: the federal charges. This is from the kidnapping statute. I am wondering if use of the internet to plan the crime or the coverup is the basis for continuing use of the federal kidnapping statute.

Yeah could be but that is a pretty tangential leak since many cases nowadays involve suspicious internet searches done before a murder. Also, take note of the Virginia Tech case I noted earlier - in that case, the boy lured her to meet him using the internet, yet that case is in state court. Moreover, I think he talked about the planning with others online if I am not mistaken. That case has a much stronger case for federal jxn with the computer than this one, with the facts we know so far.

 

[mrsobrien]

bbm - maybe he had no luck with women so he kept trying elsewhere.

Re. open marriage, I *think* (not sure) couples who are both into BDSM don't mind other sex partners for play? (I once knew a BDSM guy and I think I remember him explaining this to me - didn't pay enough attention, obviously lol!)

Jmo, I think he solicited so much, he was probably successful in hooking up with many women. Yes, average looks, but confident (even if false), fit, educated, with an element of danger... that's chick bait right there.

I'm sure couples in open or polyamorous relationships and BDSM culture define the parameters individually, not like a one size fits all thing.

 

[Eileen730]

So........how did he get her to the apartment .......then how did he get her out?

Was she in the apt do we know?

 

[LoremIpsum]

I always wondered about what LE thought about people going and looking for a missing person on their own. Especially with there being so little seeming activity regarding finding her. Every other case I've read even when they suspect the person was killed there was a prominent effort to find the body. Because I'm not local I may be wrong but locals is there anyone actually out looking to for her? If LE has such good information that she is no longer alive wouldn't they have a clue about where she is or at least be attempting to find out where.

He was followed 3 days after the kidnapping. Shouldn't be overly hard to look into his activities over the previous 3 days to find out where his cell phone pinged at and try to find her that way.

http://www.champaigncountyema.org/index.php/sarmenu

I think unless you are checking your own personal property (farmland, wooded areas, etc), it is highly frowned upon. If you're checking someone else's property without permission, that's trespassing.

Around here (maybe everywhere?), there are search and rescue teams that may be utilized by police if necessary. A person can volunteer to be apart of such a team, but it requires training - see link for Champaign County information.

As far as I know, no volunteer search and rescue teams have been called upon nor have friends, family, and/or community members organized an unofficial search of any kind.

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[mrsobrien]

Between 6/7 and 6/24, you mean?

There are entries on 6/23 starting at about 6 am I believe.

 

[LoremIpsum]

Does anyone recall why the FBI or at what point were they called in? That may be a clue.

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[mrsobrien]

So........how did he get her to the apartment .......then how did he get her out?

Was she in the apt do we know?

He was overheard on audio recording that he did take her there. I think it was BS unless he's the luckiest dude ever. It was broad daylight, the parking lot was not close to the apartment, no attached garages, and a single entrance for all the apartments in his building.

 

[Tinypeeps]

I caught that too. But if he began program in 2013, maybe he passed his orals (if Science pps do those), and/or finished his thesis, ie finished all departmental requirements, and as that professor said, only had non-physics coursework left to finish, so he felt ok about referring to himself that way? He only refers to himself as a "grad student " in the Fetlife profile.

 

[citigirl]

Yeah could be but that is a pretty tangential leak since many cases nowadays involve suspicious internet searches done before a murder. Also, take note of the Virginia Tech case I noted earlier - in that case, the boy lured her to meet him using the internet, yet that case is in state court. Moreover, I think he talked about the planning with others online if I am not mistaken. That case has a much stronger case for federal jxn with the computer than this one, with the facts we know so far.

I thought about that, too, but was the VA Tech case classified as a kidnapping? This is a kidnapping statute, not a murder statute.

 

[Yellow]

Now that the thought of her still being alive has been brought up I hope that he had an accomplice and that this person has been taking care of her physical needs - and hopefully will let her go! Maybe someone who was a 'sub' to him.

Alternatively I was wondering if it was possible that he took her to satisfy his kidnapping fantasy and then dropped her off with other people with nefarious interests and really doesn't know whether she's alive or not, and where she is.

Trying to keep hope alive ....

Why did the family withdraw the reward? Does it mean they are convinced she is deceased? I'm a bit puzzled by this I have to admit.

No matter if it's true, if the evidence of her getting in his car and the audio is solid and if they don't find a body, then I bet that will be his argument. He dropped her off with a random stranger within their odd sexual type world he lives in and does not know where she is. I believe that argument was made at one time in the Natalie Holloway case - that she was dropped off with sex traffickers.

If he pulls that, how would you prove murder? He could potentially take a plea to something less. He could claim the audio was part of a fantasy. Hopefully they found blood evidence somewhere or more evidence we don't know about because although there is strong circumstantial evidence (why not go to cops if she got in car for innocuous reason?), there are weaknesses in this case if you had to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

[citigirl]

I caught that too. But if he began program in 2013, maybe he passed his orals (if Science pps do those), and/or finished his thesis, ie finished all departmental requirements, and as that professor said, only had non-physics coursework left to finish, so he felt ok about referring to himself that way? He only refers to himself as a "grad student " in the Fetlife profile.

He would normally not have any coursework at all to finish if he were ABD (a doctoral candidate). I did look at his profile on the UIUC website before it was pulled, and remember thinking he was not a candidate, but I can't tell you exactly what it said, because I don't remember.

 

[Yellow]

I thought about that, too, but was the VA Tech case classified as a kidnapping? This is a kidnapping statute, not a murder statute.

Yes, they are charged with abduction in the VA Tech case. And if the alleged facts are to be believed, it clearly was a planned abduction as they convinced a minor to go with them on the prospect that the girl was going on a date and then killed her. It's much easier to prove kidnapping for a minor. Moreover, her body was found in another state so it clearly was across state lines yet there, the case is in state court. Moreover, before they found her body, it was a kidnapping case because I believe she was missing for a few days before they found her in North Carolina. Many cases start out as kidnapping cases because they can't prove murder yet.

 

[AnemoneBrown]

He was in the PhD program. Partially through, he decided he no longer wanted to work towards a doctorate. He stayed on long enough to earn what they call a terminal master's.



http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-man-held-scholars-kidnapping-grad-student-48392179

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Yes, but in order to be a PhD "candidate" he would've had to pass his doctoral exams not just be enrolled. I have a PhD from Urbana- Champaign. It is a huge deal to call yourself a PhD candidate in you are only a PhD student. Did he really complete all of his coursework or is this his inflated ego talking?

 

[Tinypeeps]

Maybe he had so many women coming and going that nobody would have paid attention, if he had managed to subdue or threaten YZ into silence? Hard to believe, but after the Cheshire murders, where Mrs. Petit was forced under threat to go into her bank all alone and withdraw money without alerting the bank employees, and she complied (because the perp told her two of her children would be killed if she didn't comply), I would believe anything.

 

[scadder21]

http://www.champaigncountyema.org/index.php/sarmenu

I think unless you are checking your own personal property (farmland, wooded areas, etc), it is highly frowned upon. If you're checking someone else's property without permission, that's trespassing.

Around here (maybe everywhere?), there are search and rescue teams that may be utilized by police if necessary. A person can volunteer to be apart of such a team, but it requires training - see link for Champaign County information.

As far as I know, no volunteer search and rescue teams have been called upon nor have friends, family, and/or community members organized an unofficial search of any kind.

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So essentially this means they aren't even looking for her at this point? I find that crazy. Even if they believe she is dead they will need to find a body to be able to charge him with Murder.