A former University of Illinois PhD student has been sentenced to life in prison for the kidnap and murder of a Chinese graduate student, Yingying Zhang.
Brendt Christensen, received the life term after a jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on whether he should be given the death penalty.
U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid sentenced Christensen to serve the rest of his life in prison with no possibility for release for the June 9, 2017 murder of Zhang. Shadid imposed the mandatory life sentence Thursday afternoon after the jury in the case was unable to reach a decision regarding the sentence.
Christensen, 30, abducted Zhang on the university campus in June 2017 before beating her to death with a baseball bat and decapitating her.
Her remains have never been found.
Shadid said Christensen’s actions were “an inexplicable act of violence”. He said the Zhang family might never learn where their daughter’s remains rested.
“Whatever self-centred opinion you have of yourself, when you are taken out of here today by the United States marshals, to wait for that lonely, isolated and cold deathbed that follows your natural life in prison, maybe, just maybe, the moment will strike you to pick up paper and pen and write ‘I’m sorry’ to Mr and Mrs Zhang,” he said, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Christensen did not speak during the hearing.
Afterwards, Zhang’s father, Ronggao Zhang, said the family would “not have peace or closure” until her remains were found.
“If you have any humanity left in your soul, please help us end our torment,” said a family statement addressed to Christensen.
On June 24, 2019, the same jury deliberated approximately 90 minutes before returning guilty verdicts against Christensen for the charge of kidnapping resulting in death and two counts of making false statements to FBI agents.
The sentencing phase of the trial began on July 8, 2019. After deliberating approximately nine hours Wednesday and Thursday, the jury advised the court that they were unable to reach a decision regarding sentencing.
“Tragically, a young woman’s life was cut short by the evil crimes perpetrated in this case,” said Assistant Attorney Brian A. General Benczkowski. “The Department of Justice insisted on holding the defendant accountable to the fullest extent of the law, and hopes that today’s outcome delivers some measure of justice for Yingying Zhang and her family.”
The victim, 26, had come to the U.S. as a visiting scholar in April 2017, to begin post-graduate research work at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus. Zhang disappeared on June 9, 2017, as she was on her way to an appointment to sign an apartment lease. She was reported missing later that day when her colleagues tried to reach her and she did not respond.
Security camera footage of a bus stop taken on June 9, shows Zhang entered a car, which investigators determined belonged to Christensen, after Zhang had texted the apartment manager that she was running late for her afternoon appointment.
A witness also testified that on the morning of June 9, she was approached by a man she later identified as Christensen, who posed as a police officer and asked her to get into his car to answer questions. The woman did not enter the car and contacted law enforcement to report the incident.
Investigators contacted area owners of the type of car, a black Saturn Astra, captured by the security camera at the bus stop. As investigators studied the video, they discovered a noticeable irregularity on the hubcap of the front passenger tire that matched the vehicle owned by Christensen.
When Christensen was questioned about his activity on June 9, 2017, he made false statements to FBI agents on two occasions, on June 12 and again on June 15. During a vigil walk held on June 29, to raise awareness in the search for Zhang, Christensen attended the walk and described how he had killed Zhang to his then-girlfriend, who recorded the conversation.
Christensen’s account included details of the crime which were corroborated by evidence recovered by law enforcement who executed a search warrant of his apartment on June 30, 2017, the same day Christensen was arrested and charged.
Among the most moving testimony during the penalty phase was from Zhang’s mother. She said Christensen dashed Zhang’s dreams, killing her months before she had planned to get married.
“My daughter did not get to wear a wedding dress,” she said. “I really wanted to be a grandma.”
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