Man Accused of Kidnapping Visiting U of I Scholar Returns to Ct.

Thursday, 20 July 2017

An arraignment is scheduled for a 28-year-old man charged in the abduction of a University of Illinois scholar from China.

Brendt Christensen is expected to enter a plea Thursday in U.S. District Court near the school's campus in Urbana.

A grand jury returned an indictment last week charging Christensen with kidnapping.

That confirmed a decision by federal agents to arrest and charge him earlier.

Christensen is accused of kidnapping 26-year-old Yingying Zhang on June 9th off campus.

He himself was a recent graduate student in physics at the university.

Investigators say Zhang was abducted on her way to sign an apartment lease.

They allege Christensen lured her into his car.

After Christensen's June 30th arrest, investigators said they believe Zhang is dead.

They haven't found her body.

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