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

[kittythehare]

That was where he told her he was fascinated with serial killers and indicated he wanted to be one. I can't remember the exact language. That's when she told him she wanted him to quit drinking or else.....

No. That's his narrative. Not necessarily anything like the truth, most likely.

 

[Webthrush]

Again, rushing to finish some work, but noticed this:

Michelle testified that the Saturn had been driven around 200 miles while she was gone
Also testified that she saw BC carry the duffle bag out with no issue, and that he could have easily carried it if it weighed 110 lb (Yingying's listed weight). I have a hard time believing BC would have kept her remains in that bag for three days, especially with Michelle back by Sunday night......

IF my memory is right, the video showing the Astra didn't come out 'til the Monday after the crime, and after MZ's return -- it was probably only once that video went public that BC suddenly felt he should ditch the bag (which I agree was already empty by then).
********************
Hatfield wrote:
"Interesting about this part
"in December 2016, she says he got very drunk and said something disturbing to her. She says the marriage was never the same after that"

So I wonder what that was all about. I have a guess.
He probably threatend to kill her."
*******************
I doubt he threatened her (I think he genuinely loves her), but just revealed some BDSM or even serial-killing fantasies that naturally upset her.

 

[altojack]

Again, rushing to finish some work, but noticed this:

Michelle testified that the Saturn had been driven around 200 miles while she was gone
..

Been thinking about that petrol consumption, half a tank. He could have done 200 miles round trip. He also had been cruising around campus and who knows where.

What I'm trying to say is that if he's been cruising he would use more fuel, mpg driving at a lower speed, stopping at lights etc. than he would on a motorway drive or long drive at constant speed. So his drive out of town would be less than 200 miles.

 

[kittythehare]

Uh, Sorry but NO. It is NOT difficult to end ties when you find out your partner is a murderer.

I dont care if I was married for 30 years if I found out my partner was a crazy murderer I would RUN away as fast as I could and never speak to the person ever again.

There are certain lines that if crossed, it is over, and Murder is definitely one of them.

Without actually seeing and hearing her testify, we have no way to know where she is really at.
s he still controlling her?
I think there's every chance he might be. 10 years is a long time in co dependency, she got no break from him at all, his defense rounded her up almost immediately. With a lassoo.
Either that or she's complicit.
There is actually no way to know from tweets.

 

[Hatfield]

.......
I doubt he threatened her (I think he genuinely loves her), but just revealed some BDSM or even serial-killing fantasies that naturally upset her.

That makes more sense if he opened up to her about his serial killer wannebe thoughts.

Alcohol seems to have made him even worse than he is normally because we now hear he said something concerning to his wife while drunk that changed their whole relationship and remember at the Vigil when he was drinking with the GF he opened up to her the longer the vigil went on (and drunker he got). Almost to the point of following another random girl home.

Ted Bundy did a lot of his murders when drunk and it fueled the monster in him.

Similary, with BC, and with his "I wanne be like Mike" attitude toward Ted Bundy, BC seems to have had the same effect when over drinking.

 

[x_files]

she is testifying for his defense (sadly)

what the...

 

[kittythehare]

That makes more sense if he opened up to her about his serial killer wannebe thoughts.

Alcohol seems to have made him even worse than he is normally because we now hear he said something concerning to his wife while drunk that changed their whole relationship and remember at the Vigil when he was drinking with the GF he opened up to her the longer the vigil went on (and drunker he got). Almost to the point of following another random girl home.

Ted Bundy did a lot of his murders when drunk and it fueled the monster in him.

Similary, with BC, and with his "I wanne be like Mike" attitude toward Ted Bundy, BC seems to have had the same effect when over drinking.

My understanding and I could be dead wrong is that when he was drunk, he didn't entertain the thoughts. That is what TB seemed to be saying in her testimony.
He was drinking to keep the impulses down, or they didn't emerge when he was drunk.
If he loved her, he wouldn't have dragged her into this and he wouldn't have asked her to testify on his behalf, he would have set her free immediately.
This big act, tears, smiles and smirks throughout the theatre act this morning is a fake.
A scene played for the jury.
He is also blaming her.
He is blaming TB too.
He told Tb he loved her too.
Nobody asked her the question today because it was pre-arranged that she either wouldn't answer it and perjure herself, or that the answer would be highly prejudicial to her husband or ex-husband or whatever dynamic is currently playing out between them.
He's going to jail or death row.
She will be forever tainted by what she did today.

 

[x_files]

HMM Maybe...and just maybe she gets on the stand and buries BC. What kind of woman would try to help out a man who has just killed a total stranger..IN YOUR SHARED BED ??

Someone who might either be an abuse victim or maybe an accomplice (after the fact). Has LE inferred she knew or helped cover up the crime?

 

[Hatfield]

My understanding and I could be dead wrong is that when he was drunk, he didn't entertain the thoughts. That is what TB seemed to be saying in her testimony.
He was drinking to keep the impulses down, or they didn't emerge when he was drunk.
If he loved her, he wouldn't have dragged her into this and he wouldn't have asked her to testify on his behalf, he would have set her free immediately.
This big act, tears, smiles and smirks throughout the theatre act this morning is a fake.
A scene played for the jury.
He is also blaming her.
He is blaming TB too.
He told Tb he loved her too.
Nobody asked her the question today because it was pre-arranged that she either wouldn't answer it and perjure herself, or that the answer would be highly prejudicial to her husband or ex-husband or whatever dynamic is currently playing out between them.
He's going to jail or death row.
She will be forever tainted by what she did today.

I could be wrong too as somewhere I got the impression that alcohol was fueling his serial killer ways. Im not sure if he was drinking or drunk the day he killed Yingying but during the Vigil he apparantly was drinking during the Vigil and as time went on (more drinking) he opened up to her more and more and got excited about the prospect of following someone else even.

I luckily have never had a drinking problem but I do know a few people that struggled badly with alcohol and my basic observation is there are two types of reactions that people have when drinking a lot.

I am probably way over simplifying this but my observation I tend to put drinkers into two categories. Either a "mean drunk" or a "happy drunk". Both polar opposite reactions.

In high school there was a certain group that would typically get drunk on Friday nights and most of them were "mean drunks". They loved to fight when drunk and would go out of their way to go to bars where they could start a fight. It literally was their form of entertainment to go get drunk and start physical fist fights. They enjoyed it.

Then there was another type of people that were way mellow when drunk. Overly friendly even. They would always get happy and sociable when drunk.

I think I tend to put drinkers into these two groups because that is how I perceived them when I hung around Group B.
I know for sure Ted Bundy was a mean violent drunk because of a documentary I watched about him and how he would drink very heavily towards the end and the night he killed multiple soriety girls he was an out of control madman drinking a very lot that night.

Anyway, I may have to reconsider if BC was a "mean drunk" or not. We may not have enough evidence of that. Somewhere during the testimonies I got that impression but could be way wrong.

 

[kittythehare]

Someone who might either be an abuse victim or maybe an accomplice (after the fact). Has LE inferred she knew or helped cover up the crime?

not yet.

 

[MsFacetious]

BC killed her. It matters not a jot how a killing takes place. It happened and there's no 'nicer' manner where murder is concerned.

No, but when facing the death penalty it makes a difference. Since they have already admitted he killed her, all of this is just mitigation. Him killing her in a less gruesome way would help that.

I'm so impressed with how TEB held up against Defence. 7 hours is a long time for anyone. Just goes to show how if you want something strongly enough, it can be done. Well done TEB.

I am thoroughly impressed with her. I know how intimidating testifying can be at all. But under these circumstances? WOW.

this is all I got
Mistrial motion was denied, but Shadid did order a limiting instruction be given to jurors about any alleged previous victims. Prosecutors had no objection.
Matt Masterson, bless his heart!

The FBI should have submitted his info immediately. That is so frustrating because this could be answered already.

After a Nov 2016 night of drinking when Christensen tried to open up to his then wife, she says it was never the same. It scared her. His drinking/drug use had exclated. But it remains unclear, even generally what he said to her that night. #YingyingZhang (TK, ill media)

The News-Gazette on Twitter

I didn't think it was unclear. I thought we knew what was said, or is this another time?

That was where he told her he was fascinated with serial killers and indicated he wanted to be one. I can't remember the exact language. That's when she told him she wanted him to quit drinking or else.....

That was my recollection too. Unless there is more than one time. They could ask her what he said on the stand. No way the prosecution agreed beforehand not to ask her that. She could invoke marital privilege but they can ask.

 

[MsFacetious]

I think when he got drunk it lowered his self control and inhibitions. So he did more and said more than he would normally. I think it's as simple as that. I don't think it made him mean, just allowed him to show that side.

 

[AnemoneBrown]

Wow, his ex-wife is doing a lot. Am I right in thinking she is claiming she had him sharpen those house knives to protect him against the imputation of further premeditation? Those two were running around with other people, meeting those people outside the home, spending time at the gym, etc. It's not like they were nesting and cooking up a storm. What need would there be to prioritize this? Shame on her. This horrible crime is B.C's brainchild and doing, why continue o enable him?

 

[kittythehare]

No, but when facing the death penalty it makes a difference. Since they have already admitted he killed her, all of this is just mitigation. Him killing her in a less gruesome way would help that.




I am thoroughly impressed with her. I know how intimidating testifying can be at all. But under these circumstances? WOW.




The FBI should have submitted his info immediately. That is so frustrating because this could be answered already.




I didn't think it was unclear. I thought we knew what was said, or is this another time?




That was my recollection too. Unless there is more than one time. They could ask her what he said on the stand. No way the prosecution agreed beforehand not to ask her that. She could invoke marital privilege but they can ask.

we know what he said he said.
That is his narrative.
We do not know it is the truth.
He may have said it to the sham visit to the therapists and that's what he told TB he said.
This is still the guilt phase.
The penalty phase will follow. Different criteria will come into play, it will be about mitigation but we are technically still in the guilt phase.
The mistrial call this morning was about this and this only, its the fourth call for a mistrial. Here's the link-Miscellaneous Relief – #392 in United States v. Christensen (C.D. Ill., 2:17-cr-20037) – CourtListener.com

 

[kittythehare]

Wow, his ex-wife is doing a lot. Am I right in thinking she is claiming she had him sharpen those house knives to protect him against the imputation of further premeditation? Those two were running around with other people, meeting those people outside the home, spending time at the gym, etc. It's not like they were nesting and cooking up a storm. What need would there be to prioritize this? Shame on her. This horrible crime is B.C's brainchild and doing, why continue o enable him?

knives correct.
We don't know whether she is consciously enabling him or under his control still.
The 'mass experimenting' is a tad worrying and very bizarre, but they're all consenting adults, or so it would appear.

 

[kittythehare]

Brendt Christensen's defense team has rested its case after calling four witnesses. Christensen himself did not testify, telling the judge it was his decision not to do so. Closing arguments are set for Monday morning at 9:30 a.m.(MM)

 

[AnemoneBrown]

knives correct.
We don't know whether she is consciously enabling him or under his control still.
The 'mass experimenting' is a tad worrying and very bizarre, but they're all consenting adults, or so it would appear.

You always pick up on things I miss. Yes. What was that comment all about? Even if she experiments that's none of our business or relevant to the trial. Why make sure to include this?

 

[kittythehare]

Eades
The co (wasn't expecting the facebook thread to be thrown up when he did this, clearly)urt is shown an hour-long video of Christensen talking to a woman at the UI counseling center. He admits his alcohol problem, says his main motivation to stop drinking was to lose weight b/c drinking interfered with his health & nutrition goals (he was into fitness)
Says he had low self-esteem as a teenager, had depression. Says his mother was an alcoholic, too. Doesn't talk to his siblings much, and doesn't have any friends
Christensen says he also has trouble sleeping. Says the only point of contention in his marriage is his substance abuse. Tells the counselor about how Michelle wanted to separate
Also tells her about his suicidal thoughts, then about his interestcin serial killers (which we've heard before). Says he lost his passion, felt like a failure in physics
Video continues to play. Says his plans are far along on how he'd kill someone (which we've heard before). Says he doesn't talk to his psychiatrist much
At the end of the video, the counselor shares resources available to Christensen, counseling options, phone numbers, mobile apps, community referrals, group therapy, etc. "I just want to make sure we have an idea of what we can do to keep you safe," she says @W
Pollock questions Huckstadt, pointing out BC was supposed to get a consultation during the appointment (which didn't happen), and that he went back for another counseling session, repeating his plans to kill people with more detail, and to a licensed counselor @WCIA3
She again has Huckstadt confirm the FBI hasn't corrobotlrsted evidence that he killed anyone else
Huckstadt says Bullis was paid $1,000 by the FBI for "services" between June 16-21, before the wallk even happened. Nelson recrosses Huckstadt, points out BC told the counselor AND TB of his interest in serial killers. The judge told him to move on b/c it was repetetive other than Zhang (so, it's okay for her to mention it but it's a mistrial when defense mentions it?)
(Pleased judge is annoyed)
The jury recesses. The judge addresses Brendt Christensen directly, informing him of his right to choose whether he testifies or not. "Whether or not you testify is your decision. Do you understand that?" "Yes," says Christensen, speaking in court for the first time
He asks a series of questions about whether BC understands his decision and that no one else is deciding for him, regardless of either legal team's possible desires. "That's correct," he says

 

[kittythehare]

updated
Christensen Drove Car 200 Miles in Days Surrounding Zhang’s Disappearance

 

[kittythehare]

1. he jury is called back in. The defense rests their case, and the government is allowed a rebuttal. They call Special Agent Loren Moneypenny, from the Champaign FBI office @WCIA3
   
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2. 
   Aaron Eades‏Verified account @WCIA3Eades 9m9 minutes ago
   The defense wants to submit counselor's notes as evidence, saying that BC's mental health when he made recorded statements at Zhang's walk are the "lynchpin" of their arguments @WCIA3
   
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3. 
   Aaron Eades‏Verified account @WCIA3Eades 9m9 minutes ago
   Then both teams briefly argue about some things. Tucker challenges a transcript testimony, Taseff challenges Hill's credibility as a witness, saying his pending theft charge gives him an interest to testify for the gov't..