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

[Yellow]

I have been quiet in awe of all your great sleuthing on this sad case. I can think of one reason the feds are involved. I'm sure on FetLife, the members that aren't busy abducting and killing Chinese students, are sharing Role Play. Maybe exchanging fantasy's and even pictures of their consensual role play. I think this guy shared his crime with them portrayed as a fantasy. If he was idiotic enough to include bondage photos could that be federal?

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Yes, that is precisely the situation that could get him into federal court. It's probably a case of first impression, meaning the federal courts probably never exercised jurisdiction in a similar case, precisely because no one would be so stupid so as to show pictures online. But if indeed he did that that could be enough. Maybe the crime was committed in connection with him doing role playing online where someone else in another state or country was "directing" him to do certain things to her. The person on the other end could have thought it was acting.

I think many of us forget that younger people lived their whole life online so they are much more comfortable sharing pictures of everything they do.

Someone wrote above about him being inactive. Maybe he went in under another name to commit the crime? That would show even more premeditation.

 

[crhedBngr]

When fantasizing the kidnap surely he was aware she would be scared, fighting back, trying to escape, likely screaming and hitting. I don't know what she could have naturally have done that he hadn't anticipated for the plan to go wrong and therefore have to kill her instead of theoretically kidnap rape torture them expect to drop her off a few blocks away. Or even if the plan wasn't to rape and torture but to "only" kidnap that alone gets life in prison. Considering his fettish profile and interests I don't think he planned to only kidnap then release her as she's local at the same university would describe his car and him to authorities. It was all or nothing imo. Based on how bold he was to be in the rally I think he thought he could get away with the whole shbang.

RBBM

This. My gut instinct tells me the same thing.

ETA: I apologize if this has been mentioned before, but does he have any prior arrests or complaints against him? Stalking, for example? I quickly scanned the thread, but didn't see anything.

 

[Yellow]

I wish we knew more about the case law related to this statute. The only solace to be found for those of you who favor the death penalty if a state court in Illinois tries a case like this is that state prisons are much more horrific than federal ones.

Yeah, all the cases I found were ones involving more like text messages with either the victim or a coconspirator in planning, executing or perpetuating the crime. I think that's what they really mean to cover, especially since so many kids nowadays are lured online.

 

[Satchie]

I don't know much about crime jurisdictions in the US, but is it probable there was a sense of urgency to make an arrest, and since the FBI had been the agency collecting the key evidence ( because of their technological resources/expertise in analyzing video and surveillance), the FBI just went ahead and made the arrest, fudging a little to claim federal jurisdiction, so they could get into his apartment etc, and now the local UIPD is putting together the full case?

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[choocha]

I don't know much about crime jurisdictions in the US, but is it probable there was a sense of urgency to make an arrest, and since the FBI had been the agency collecting the key evidence ( because of their technological resources/expertise in analyzing video and surveillance), the FBI just went ahead and made the arrest, fudging a little to claim federal jurisdiction, so they could get into his apartment etc, and now the local UIPD is putting together the full case?

Kidnapping is a federal offense, once they (FBI) were involved he could be charged that way. They wouldnt risk the investigation by "fudging a little" because it's still not known if she's even dead. Obviously that's an assumption thats extremely easy and sadly likely to make, but they have to go under the assumption that she's not dead. They also have him on tape "confessing" along with all of the circumstantial evidence they gathered before the arrest. We also don't know the entire breadth of that evidence. They could have hair, prints, etc. They won't reveal that in a criminal complaint. They had probable cause for kidnapping and thats what he's held on now.

The FBI made the arrest because they had probable cause and there's a missing person involved. I'm curious if the recording of his "confession" was his wife or someone close to him wearing a wire.

 

[AnemoneBrown]

I agree. Although his grad advisor said he was not asked to leave the program, he may not have been able to find a group to work with. It is true that a lot of times you will make as much or more money in industry with a master's, so I understand that mindset (it was my own when I left my humanities program after completing the coursework), but the fact that he couldn't find a job after a year of looking leads me to think also that he wasn't remarkable.

I'm sure he was depressed, but lots of people are depressed and never kidnap anyone or commit murder. I do wonder about previous crimes, because the sloppiness of this one suggests to me that he was getting overconfident and careless. But maybe it was impulsive. We just don't know enough about him.

Yes, I agree, I am not claiming quitting the PhD program was a reason for him to go out and kidnap and murder innocent people. Not at all. What I'm saying is that it appears to be a compounding factor. The news coverage I've seen on the case paints this man as a "former grad student" and in the interview with the program advisor a picture was painted that he went in and informed them of his decision in a more or less calm or rational manner. His lying on his Linked In profile simply goes to his state of mind at the time the murder was committed. By lying about his credentials it shows he felt he was lacking, that he did not accomplish enough to be competitive. It also shows great hubris since a simple phone call by a prospective employer to his program advisor would have revealed his earned a Masters degree and nothing more.

 

[Yellow]

I don't know much about crime jurisdictions in the US, but is it probable there was a sense of urgency to make an arrest, and since the FBI had been the agency collecting the key evidence ( because of their technological resources/expertise in analyzing video and surveillance), the FBI just went ahead and made the arrest, fudging a little to claim federal jurisdiction, so they could get into his apartment etc, and now the local UIPD is putting together the full case?

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Yeah I think that's probably the case. Also there is a rebuttable presumption that if someone is gone 24 hours or more it's out of state kidnapping. States don't have the resources to pursue these cases and FBI is just so much more equipped to handle it so almost all cases involving abduction are handled by FBI at first. Plus given that she is a foreign national they probably wanted to show federal involvement. Moreover, because federal kidnapping involving a death is a death penalty eligible crime and IL does not have a death penalty, either for optics sake or because they want him to reveal the body they may make him want to squirm that he will get the death penalty. It gives them some leverage over him, because once this goes to state court they can't hold death penalty over him.

It's not wrong they charged him under federal kidnapping. Because of the rebuttable presumption we presume she was taken out of state. Whether it remains under federal jxn is another matter as I mention in other posts.

 

[Yvettea]

Yeah, all the cases I found were ones involving more like text messages with either the victim or a coconspirator in planning, executing or perpetuating the crime. I think that's what they really mean to cover, especially since so many kids nowadays are lured online.

This is way out there but maybe it didn't happen like it seemed to happen. Maybe she was lured online.

 

[mrsobrien]

Yes, that is precisely the situation that could get him into federal court. It's probably a case of first impression, meaning the federal courts probably never exercised jurisdiction in a similar case, precisely because no one would be so stupid so as to show pictures online. But if indeed he did that that could be enough. Maybe the crime was committed in connection with him doing role playing online where someone else in another state or country was "directing" him to do certain things to her. The person on the other end could have thought it was acting.

I think many of us forget that younger people lived their whole life online so they are much more comfortable sharing pictures of everything they do.

Someone wrote above about him being inactive. Maybe he went in under another name to commit the crime? That would show even more premeditation.

Well, that's an interesting theory! I feel like the community would be all abuzz if that was the case, but it's definitely possible imo.

 

[Yellow]

Well, that's an interesting theory! I feel like the community would be all abuzz if that was the case, but it's definitely possible imo.

Couldn't he have a second account that you just have not found yet? He could have a second account he always used or he could have started a second account recently.

Indeed, before the crime, how often was he visiting this site? Do you find it usual that he did not visit the site since early June based on his past patterns? If so I would find that odd. If he has a regular habit of visiting a website then suddenly stops 2 days before the crime that would be odd. Why stop visiting? there were 20 some days in June before arrest so why didn't he visit the site? Maybe he did under another name.

 

[Dogface]

Given BC showed interest in tying up, chains, shackles (ironic HE is the one in shackles now, but I digress), I wonder if he made any recent purchases for items he could have used in this crime.

Have we checked to see if he has a public Amazon account like Todd Khoelhepp(sp?) did?


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[Jennifer17]

Big problem though...BC became inactive on Fetlife about 2 days before the kidnapping.

Maybe he found a like soul and was communicating privately?

 

[mrsobrien]

Have we checked to see if he has a public Amazon account like Todd Khoelhepp(sp?) did?


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He does, but it's empty.

 

[liltexans]

This is way out there but maybe it didn't happen like it seemed to happen. Maybe she was lured online.

Then that would show up in Yingying's online history, wouldn't it? We have not been given any information that suggests that Yingying was on any site where she could have encountered BC. The FBI can easily search any online accounts she has. I think members here have only found her on a couple of Chinese social media platforms that were akin to Facebook or Instagram, but popular in China.

 

[Yellow]

This is way out there but maybe it didn't happen like it seemed to happen. Maybe she was lured online.

Could he have lured her with the prospect of an apartment? He would be moving out I presume so it may have been true and then turned sinister. He communicated about the apartment, then looked her up online and thought she would be a good victim. He then followed her and that day, he said, "You are looking for an apartment? wow, such a coincidence but we talked online about MY apartment. Why don't you come see it now??"

That scenario would actually answer alot of questions for me as it would explain why she got in the car. Why she got in the car is what most puzzles me. If he had communicated with her before or if she communicated with him and he had mentioned a wife or girlfriend, she maybe would have gotten in the car.

 

[Mercedes]

I don't know much about crime jurisdictions in the US, but is it probable there was a sense of urgency to make an arrest, and since the FBI had been the agency collecting the key evidence ( because of their technological resources/expertise in analyzing video and surveillance), the FBI just went ahead and made the arrest, fudging a little to claim federal jurisdiction, so they could get into his apartment etc, and now the local UIPD is putting together the full case?

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I don't think the FBI fudged.

 

[Maisiebelle]

Does anyone know how far the FBI was able to follow the car by using cameras? I know they saw him pick Yingying up and saw him drive off. Did they release any further footage?


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[citigirl]

Yeah, all the cases I found were ones involving more like text messages with either the victim or a coconspirator in planning, executing or perpetuating the crime. I think that's what they really mean to cover, especially since so many kids nowadays are lured online.

If the "other occupant" in the apartment were coopted by the police to assist, he might have sent a text msg. to that person...and is now subject to the statute through those kinds of cases. I don't think it would be any different that an undercover FBI agent luring an online predator into meeting them.

 

[Yvettea]

Then that would show up in Yingying's online history, wouldn't it? We have not been given any information that suggests that Yingying was on any site where she could have encountered BC. The FBI can easily search any online accounts she has. I think members here have only found her on a couple of Chinese social media platforms that were akin to Facebook or Instagram, but popular in China.

No, it wouldn't work.

 

[Yellow]

Then that would show up in Yingying's online history, wouldn't it? We have not been given any information that suggests that Yingying was on any site where she could have encountered BC. The FBI can easily search any online accounts she has. I think members here have only found her on a couple of Chinese social media platforms that were akin to Facebook or Instagram, but popular in China.

There's also an app used on college campuses called Friendsy. It's kinda like Tinder for college campuses but it is not just for dating ; some people use it to find friends. You actually get a picture of someone and you click friend, date or hookup, and if the other person wants the same you match. It's possible she was looking for new friends and used this App or else saw his picture on the App. and felt comfortable he was part of the campus. Everyone on Friendsy is part of the campus so it may seem less sketchy than meeting strangers on Tinder. There's also a bunch of apps kids use like GroupMe, etc. She could have encountered him on one of those. There are even free food apps on college campuses where you get alerted where there is free food.