Found Deceased CA - Mengyao 'May' Zhou, 23, Stanford University, 20 Jan 2007

[LisainWV]

Not to sound cold, but what a strange way to kill yourself.

And, not to sound disrespectful to anyone, but depressed people can put on a very happy face around others and convince them everything is ok.

Of course another scenario, she may have been murdered and the scene staged to look like suicide.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

In looking at the stories they have out so far, it certainly doesn't seem consistent with a suicide. Her being found in the trunk of her car suggests foul play to me. How many suicides have you ever heard of that climbed into their trunk to be found? Her being a scientist, I don't think she would have taken that route at all. Just doesn't gel with me.

They need to look into why she was at that jr college. Was she mentoring or tutoring a student from there? Did she have an association with one of their teachers perhaps? Was there a student that befriended her for social reasons? The sorority? A love interest? I know it sounds odd, but a jr college student would have possibly been her social "equal".

More questions than answers at this point, but so very sad for her parents who have to now deal with the tragedy of her death.

Note: The police did a horrid injustice to her father by allowing him to be told by the press today about finding the car and her body. That makes me so angry!! No one deserves to read or hear about their child's death in the news!! The police working on her case should be severely chastized for this action.

 

[californiacarrie]

Note: The police did a horrid injustice to her father by allowing him to be told by the press today about finding the car and her body. That makes me so angry!! No one deserves to read or hear about their child's death in the news!! The police working on her case should be severely chastized for this action.

AMEN!

 

[emmcee]

Decades ago a girl whom I went to school with killed herself - she was a brilliant student, had a lovely family, everything seemed to be going for her. She was the perfectionist-type. I heard that she left a suicide note saying something about being unable to live in an imperfect world. I've never forgotten it.

 

[mistivon]

SANTA ROSA -- An autopsy on Stanford University graduate student Mengyao "May" Zhou disclosed no visible signs of trauma to her body or any new indications that foul play was involved in her death, Santa Rosa police said Friday afternoon.



Zhou, 23, was found dead in the trunk of her silver Toyota Corolla on Thursday afternoon. The car was found in a parking lot at Santa Rosa Junior College and towed to an impound yard.



Police said on Thursday they found items in the trunk that indicated Zhou might have committed suicide, but they made no mention of that theory Friday.



"Toxicology and other lab results will not be available for several weeks. No final determination on a cause of death will be announced until all test results are returned and all evidence is processed," police said in a statement.



Police said they are still interviewing people who may have information regarding the circumstances of her death.



During a phone call this afternoon, Yitong Zhou, May Zhou's father, said he believes foul play was involved and he said he doesn't believe his daughter committed suicide.



He said his daughter's roommate saw no sign his daughter was depressed and that his daughter did not have any problems with her school work.



Zhou was last seen leaving her apartment on the Stanford campus on Saturday morning.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/10854500/detail.html

 

[fran]

I agree that it was completely irresponsible and incensitive of LE to have NOT contacted the family before this information hit the news media. What were they thinking? What a horrible way for this family to have found out about their daughter!

At this point, we really don't know what was found in the trunk of the car along with May, we don't know why she was where she was, we don't know most of the facts. So, at this juncture, it's hard to tell if this was suicide or foul play, so both options are open, IMO.

But, I will say, as hard as it is, even with everything this young woman had going for her, suicide isn't out of the question. Many people are good at keeping their 'real' personal feelings hidden. There's lots of reasons why they're this way, not confiding in anyone, but it does happen.

Whatever the 'reason' for May ending up in the trunk of her car, this is a sad case and my heart goes out to her family and friends.

Rest in peace, May.

JMHO
fran

 

[Opie]

Amen, fran.

 

[fran]

Although LE is still standing by their initial determination that it was most likely suicide but are waiting additional tests, I find this paragraph a little disturbing. It will be interesting to see what develops from this.

JMHO
fran


http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/16559965.htm

.......................snip.....................

Complaining that police seemed too quick to reach a conclusion about his daughter's death, Zhou said he had only recently learned that she conducted some online banking transactions shortly before she left her apartment Saturday.

The transactions were ``unusual,'' he said, because of the amount. He declined to elaborate.

 

[montana_16]

Although LE is still standing by their initial determination that it was most likely suicide but are waiting additional tests, I find this paragraph a little disturbing. It will be interesting to see what develops from this.

JMHO
fran


http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/16559965.htm

.......................snip.....................

Complaining that police seemed too quick to reach a conclusion about his daughter's death, Zhou said he had only recently learned that she conducted some online banking transactions shortly before she left her apartment Saturday.

The transactions were ``unusual,'' he said, because of the amount. He declined to elaborate.

This story is very interesting. Thanks for posting it. She was so smart and had so much going for her. And very pretty as well. Such a tragedy she is now gone.

 

[Taximom]

Although LE is still standing by their initial determination that it was most likely suicide but are waiting additional tests, I find this paragraph a little disturbing. It will be interesting to see what develops from this.

JMHO
fran


http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/16559965.htm

.......................snip.....................

Complaining that police seemed too quick to reach a conclusion about his daughter's death, Zhou said he had only recently learned that she conducted some online banking transactions shortly before she left her apartment Saturday.

The transactions were ``unusual,'' he said, because of the amount. He declined to elaborate.

I think that is interesting. If she were going to commit suicide why would she withdraw unusual amounts of money? I hope LE isn't overlooking a potential murder set up to look like a suicide.

 

[fran]

I think that is interesting. If she were going to commit suicide why would she withdraw unusual amounts of money? I hope LE isn't overlooking a potential murder set up to look like a suicide.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Could someone have set it up to look like a suicide? Sure!

I hope LE isn't disregarding this latest information, the 'unusal bank transaction.'

No matter which way the evidence points, ie suicide, LE needs to look into this important piece of information.

Sometimes, things aren't what they appear at first blush,..........even an alledged suicide.

I'm not surprised the father is denying it could be suicide and I'm not surprised that LE is looking on the father's statements as denial in his grief. HOWEVER, this 'unusual bank transaction' JUST prior to her disappearance is highly suspicious, imo. I hope her family doesn't give up until they get an answer, "What was May doing with this 'unusual' bank transaction?

JMHO
fran

 

[nanandjim]

Hmmm...I'm not sure that this was suicide. Did she leave a note? Why the trunk of the car? That's unusual. She could have been forced into the trunk. I'd like to know more about the bank transactions. That might tell us a lot.

This girl apparently excelled at school. It seems to me if she were going to commit suicide, she would have done it long ago, not now, when she is so close to the "finish line."

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I am inclined to agree with the father so far on this one. Again, how many suicides have you heard of where they find the body in the trunk of a car? If a person were going to commit suicide, why not just stay in the front seat and hide the vehicle instead of placing it in a frequented parking area then hide? Also, isn't it difficult to close the trunk from the inside? (I haven't tried it, but wouldn't she had to have been coherent at the time she climbed in?) May's father did question how small her trunk was, too.

I would have to say it would be out of character for someone like May due to her Type-A personality (which has been described by many), her intelligence and knowledge of science (not only has access to better ways of offing herself, but a car trunk wouldn't be a type-A/scientist way to be found...she was methodical and would calculate it all out including the condition of her remains when found. I feel she would have opted to be frozen or kept very cold...least messy.), and because it is so out of the range for normal for a suicide. I will try to find some stats on that.

The transactions do raise concerns, but those could play into a suidice scenario. Since it was online, the money obviously was transferred and not simply withdrawn by May. Could it be that May did it under duress from someone or was concerned for her safety that day? Certainly a lead they need to follow up on. Follow the money.

 

[BethInAK]

I think perhaps an anal retentive, type-A person might suicide in a trunk because they wished not to ruin the upholstery of the car, ruining its resale value.


Sad, but perhaps.

 

[montana_16]

I think perhaps an anal retentive, type-A person might suicide in a trunk because they wished not to ruin the upholstery of the car, ruining its resale value.


Sad, but perhaps.

I'm sorry, but I find this post very offensive. I hope it's not wrong of me to say that.

I'm sure it was not intended that way, but I just didn't like it.

 

[Tielbird]

I think perhaps an anal retentive, type-A person might suicide in a trunk because they wished not to ruin the upholstery of the car, ruining its resale value.


Sad, but perhaps.

I think I understand what Beth means. I've known a couple of people who were extremely detail oriented, and were still loving toward their family, so they would want to preserve an asset for their family if they could. That said, it seems to me so far that the father is on the right track.

 

[BethInAK]

I'm sorry, but I find this post very offensive. I hope it's not wrong of me to say that.

I'm sure it was not intended that way, but I just didn't like it.

I didn't intend to offend, no.
What specifically did you not like? I can't really do a good job addressing your concern unless you are more specific than that!

I'll attempt anyway: I was thinking of suicides who slit their wrists. This is often done in a bathtub, so as not to leave a mess for the family (as if having a beloved family member suicide isnt' a mess, but suicide failures have expressed that this is why they chose the bathtub). I'm considering that the trunk, whille a unique place for a suicide as opposed to a homicide, might offer the same appeal for the depressed individual. She wanted to leave her family a nice clean car.

Perhaps that is an offensive notion. I'm not trying to be disrespectful of this woman, but instead to try and figure out what she was thinking.

On usenet the general consensus is that this is NOT a suicide. They say that they have never heard of a person committing suicide in a car trunk, and that they believe that a known associate of this young woman made her get into the trunk and made it look like a suicide.

I'm keeping my mind open, but I think this is a very bright and creative young woman and I think that she found a creative way to move on from this world. I know they haven't released the cause of death - I'm considering she may have exhausted the car into the trunk.

 

[crypto6]

I'm sorry, but I find this post very offensive. I hope it's not wrong of me to say that.

I'm sure it was not intended that way, but I just didn't like it.

This is just thinking out loud, and running through the strengths and weaknesses of each scenario. This dredges up some disquieting images for some, but if the case is to get full consideration, they need to be dredged. I found Beth's post a tad gross, but insightful.
Personality does bear on the method of suicide, and exceptionally neat people may tend to be tidier, esp where cars are concerned. Case here 7-8 yrs ago: Prominent man who committed suicide by handgun chose to stand up outside the car in such a way neither the splatter nor body could hit it.
I haven’t given it much consideration since then, but these two examples are enough to at least get a hypothesis going so we can delve further into the case and be on the lookout for suicide details to support or weaken the presumption. Any MEs or forensics folk on here who can enlighten us further??

 

[crypto6]

I didn't intend to offend, no.
What specifically did you not like? I can't really do a good job addressing your concern unless you are more specific than that!

I'll attempt anyway: I was thinking of suicides who slit their wrists. This is often done in a bathtub, so as not to leave a mess for the family (as if having a beloved family member suicide isnt' a mess, but suicide failures have expressed that this is why they chose the bathtub). I'm considering that the trunk, whille a unique place for a suicide as opposed to a homicide, might offer the same appeal for the depressed individual. She wanted to leave her family a nice clean car.

Perhaps that is an offensive notion. I'm not trying to be disrespectful of this woman, but instead to try and figure out what she was thinking.

On usenet the general consensus is that this is NOT a suicide. They say that they have never heard of a person committing suicide in a car trunk, and that they believe that a known associate of this young woman made her get into the trunk and made it look like a suicide.

I'm keeping my mind open, but I think this is a very bright and creative young woman and I think that she found a creative way to move on from this world. I know they haven't released the cause of death - I'm considering she may have exhausted the car into the trunk.

Beth: Nice posts.
Bathtubs can also aid in the suicide effort by maintaining vasodilation of the skin via heat transfer, leading to more blood loss. The water can also wash away newly formed clots, decreasing the chance of life-saving clots occurring on the vessels after loss of consciousness.

Re: Exhaust into the trunk. I would agree except this is a fairly public pace and an idling car with a hose running from the tailpipe would likely attract attention (though could have cut directly from under the car. This would have taken a bit of work).
Also, exhaust fumes give an intense headache long before death if used alone. This may not stop someone set on killing themselves, but would certainly make one consider another method.
rypto 6

 

[montana_16]

I didn't intend to offend, no.
What specifically did you not like? I can't really do a good job addressing your concern unless you are more specific than that!

I'll attempt anyway: I was thinking of suicides who slit their wrists. This is often done in a bathtub, so as not to leave a mess for the family (as if having a beloved family member suicide isn't' a mess, but suicide failures have expressed that this is why they chose the bathtub). I'm considering that the trunk, whille a unique place for a suicide as opposed to a homicide, might offer the same appeal for the depressed individual. She wanted to leave her family a nice clean car.

Perhaps that is an offensive notion. I'm not trying to be disrespectful of this woman, but instead to try and figure out what she was thinking.

On usenet the general consensus is that this is NOT a suicide. They say that they have never heard of a person committing suicide in a car trunk, and that they believe that a known associate of this young woman made her get into the trunk and made it look like a suicide.

I'm keeping my mind open, but I think this is a very bright and creative young woman and I think that she found a creative way to move on from this world. I know they haven't released the cause of death - I'm considering she may have exhausted the car into the trunk.

I'm sorry Beth. I took it wrong and posted hastily.

I live not very far from Stanford and it was extra sad being so close I guess.

I didn't recognize you and thought it was just someone who popped in and was being sarcastic. I realize it was just me being overly sensitive and I was wrong and again I apologize. Please, accept my apology.

Sincerely, Montana