Man charged in Ill. kidnapping part of prestigious program
CHICAGO — The 28-year-old Illinois man charged with kidnapping a Chinese scholar now believed to be dead was among a select few admitted to the University of Illinois’ highly competitive physics graduate program in 2013.
Brendt Allen Christensen originally planned to earn a doctorate degree, but told his graduate adviser in 2016 he had changed his mind, Professor Lance Cooper recalled yesterday. He didn’t say why, and Christensen continued taking classes and teaching as a graduate assistant. He earned his master’s degree in mid-May.
Christensen is in federal custody awaiting a court appearance tomorrow in the June 9 kidnapping of Yingying Zhang, the 26-year-old daughter of a working-class factory driver from China. Weeks ago, Zhang arrived at the university to conduct research in agricultural sciences and planned to begin work on her doctorate in the fall. Her body hasn’t been found.
A criminal complaint accuses Christensen, of Champaign, Ill., of abducting Zhang shortly after she stepped off a bus near the university campus. Video from nearby cameras showed Zhang, on her way to sign a lease for an apartment, trying unsuccessfully to flag down another bus. Minutes later, she is seen getting into a black Saturn Astra.
According to an affidavit filed in federal court, Christensen was under surveillance Thursday when agents overheard him explaining he had kidnapped Zhang. Authorities say agents believe Zhang is no longer alive based on that and other facts the investigation uncovered.
The charging document says his smartphone was used to visit an online forum in April called “Abduction 101.” One of the threads on the forum, which was visited months before Zhang went missing, was entitled, “Perfect abduction fantasy.” Another was about “planning a kidnapping.”
Public records show Christensen lived previously in Stevens Point, Wisc., and his LinkedIn profile states he graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 2013 with bachelor’s degrees in physics and math. Relatives couldn’t be reached for comment or declined to speak to The Associated Press yesterday.
Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones said in a statement the campus community is saddened Zhang is believed dead, writing, “This is a senseless and devastating loss of a promising young woman and a member of our community.”