A federal grand jury on Tuesday returned a new indictment against a man accused in the kidnapping of a University of Illinois scholar from China, charging him with killing her.
Brendt Christensen, 28, now stands accused of kidnapping resulting in the death of 26-year-old Yingying Zhang. If convicted of the charge, Christensen faces the death penalty or mandatory life in prison.
Christensen was initially charged in the kidnapping of Zhang, of Nanping, China, but not in her death. The new superseding indictment alleges Christensen intentionally killed her in ‘an especially heinous, cruel, or depraved manner.’
Charges upgraded: Based on a new indictment, Brendt Christensen (left), 28, now stands accused of kidnapping resulting in the death of Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang (right)
Zhang was last seen in surveillance video climbing inside Christensen’s car at a bus stop (pictured above) on July 9
It contends her death involved torture or serious physical abuse and that he did so ‘after substantial planning and premeditation.’
The new indictment also alleges Christensen used a cellphone and a vehicle, both instruments of interstate commerce, to commit the offense.
Zhang disappeared June 9, weeks after arriving at the central Illinois campus. Even though her body hasn’t been found, authorities believe Zhang is dead.
The indictment also charged Christensen with two new counts of making false statements to FBI agents.
It states Christensen lied when he told the FBI he stayed at his apartment and slept and played video games all day on June 9, ‘when he knew full well that he drove around the University of Illinois campus on the afternoon of June 9, and picked up Y,Z. as she was waiting for a bus.’
The new federal indictment alleges the 28-year-old man intentionally killed Zhang (right) in ‘an especially heinous, cruel, or depraved manner’ after torturing her. Her body was never found
It alleges Christensen lied when he said he dropped of an Asian female in a residential area shortly after picking her up.
Christensen has been held in the Macon County jail since his arrest by US Marshals. He is tentatively set to go to trial February 27.
Christensen’s lawyer, Robert Tucker, said he had not seen the superseding indictment and had no comment.
Attorney Steve Beckett, who represents Zhang’s family, said he had not spoken to them Tuesday but said the superseding indictment ‘is not unexpected.’
Beckett said Zhang’s family remain in the Urbana area and intends to stay until she is found.
In July, a prosecutor said in court that Christensen attended a vigil for Zhang after she went missing, during which he ‘explained the characteristics of his ideal victim’ and pointed out those who matched them in the crowd.
Authorities say Christensen (above) attended a vigil for Zhang on June 29, during which he was recorded talking about picking the ideal victim for a kidnapping
The shocking comments were recorded by FBI investigators.
Earlier, authorities revealed that a website that hosted an ‘Abduction 101’ forum linked Christensen to the kidnapping of Zhang.
Christensen’s phone was used April 19 to visit the website – FetLife.com – including to view threads titled ‘Perfect abduction fantasy’ and ‘planning a kidnapping’, according to the federal complaint.
FetLife describes itself as ‘the Social Network for the BDSM, Fetish & Kinky Community’, stressing in online policy statements that it is a place for consenting adults to trade advice and images of themselves, and to arrange to meet.
Zhang’s family, including her mother (left) remain in the Urbana, Illinois, area and intends to stay until she is found