Indictment: FBI’s investigation goes on

Zhang can be seen entering the front passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle then pulled away and proceeded northbound on North Goodwin Avenue.

She sent a text message on June 9 to a prospective landlord saying she was on her way to Urbana to sign a lease on an apartment but she never showed up. Her last phone activity was at 1:39 pm the same day, saying that she was running late and would not arrive until around 2:10 pm.

The last message sent to her phone was from the landlord, delivered at 2:38 pm, but there was no reply.

Later on June 9, at approximately 9:24 pm, a UIUC associate professor reported to university police that several colleagues had tried to reach Zhang by phone, and she had not responded, according to the affidavit.

Wang Zhidong, the lawyer representing Zhang’s family members, said on Wednesday that they are “extremely anxious and painful” and asked for help to find Zhang as soon as possible.

“Members of Yingying’s family feel comforted by the indictment by the grand jury and express gratitude for the unremitting efforts of the police and prosecutors. They also want to thank people in China, the US and everywhere else for their concern over Yingying,” Wang said.

On Monday, members of Zhang’s family confirmed in a statement that after checking video records, a woman spotted by several people in Salem, Illinois, which is 120 miles south of the university, was not Zhang, according to Charlie Li, president of the Chinese American Association of Central Illinois.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, UIUC Police Department and the Illinois State Police are continuing the investigation.