Deceased/Not Found IL - Yingying Zhang, 26, Urbana, 9 June 2017 #8 *Arrest*

[altojack]

Round and round and round it goes. My head is in such a spin. Next to nothing to go on from LE, so trying to go figure out what happened to YY and where was she taken to from the flat. No not much of anything to go on at all.

YY is of very slight build, light in weight. He, BC, would have had no problem lifting her, even up over his head. OK, I can hear the gasps from you lot, thinking 'what the heck is she on?' That's ok, my husband says I come up with strange ideas at times. Now, what if there is a derelict building, with large chimneys? Is there the slightest chance BC could have lifted YY and hidden her there? I think, some chimneys have a ledge inside, especially if they come off from another fire. The said fires filter up and merge into the same chimney. This is JMO, I'm thinking aloud.

Who was the poster that offered to meet for coffee as he had an idea? Are you still here? Can't you give us something of what you were talking about. You had me very interested, not for coffee, as I'm in the UK and it's a long way to go for coffee and discuss your theory when we could all listen here then discuss. Sorry, can't remember your name.

 

[trunkizback]

There is a person on Facebook called Findyingying who stays in touch with YY;s family. She posted a Christmas card from YY's mother. Wish I knew how to post that on here.sigh

 

[altojack]

There is a person on Facebook called Findyingying who stays in touch with YY;s family. She posted a Christmas card from YY's mother. Wish I knew how to post that on here.sigh

Sorry I can't help, I've been over there and looked though. How thoughtful of that dear mother to think of others just now,

 

[dm92]

Checked the CourtListener site today to see if there were any new filings. Nothing of note, but I went back and re-read a couple of previous filings. In one of them, I stumbled across a passage I had missed.

Most people assume BC sexually assaulted/raped her, but this has never been reported in the press, and investigators/prosecutors have never stated this publicly. However, in docket filing 150 - a government response to one of BC's motions, there is this passage on page 18, where the government is responding to BC's motion to strike the aggravator of prior violent acts:

The fact that the defendant previously committed a sexual assault similar to the one he inflicted upon Ms. Zhang informs the question of his “character and record.” As such, the “heightened reliability” appears to demand presentation of that evidence to the jury.

https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ilcd.70076/gov.uscourts.ilcd.70076.150.0.pdf

Of course, BC may have committed other acts of torture/physical abuse in addition to this, but this filing at least confirms that they will present evidence that BC sexually assaulted her.

There is also the question of the reliability of MD's claim of sexual assault by BC. His defense claims BC could not have assaulted her, because he was not in central Illinois when she was. The reason the FBI may believe her claim might be that she described an assault similar to what investigators heard BC describing, when MD could not have known what BC stated he had done to YY.

 

[kittythehare]

we had a long discussion about this second victim in an early thread, I remember it well. The girl's name was not disclosed, nor were any details.. not his wife.
If you go back to early thread and recall, he was a member of several clubs and far as I recall, he logged into at least one of them in the days following YY's disappearance. So to say that he had one partner when wife had 2 is inaccurate, he quite possibly had very many partners and on a regular basis, at that. If you study the progression of his 'likes' in these sites when he updated his 'preferences'- he went for all of it, every candy in the box, all shapes sizes and ages..None of it will lead to YY, I fear.
What, if anything will lead us to her body location?

Is there anything that is' hid right out in the open' here? So obvious that nobody would ever even think of searching it?

 

[Webthrush]

Checked the CourtListener site today to see if there were any new filings. Nothing of note, but I went back and re-read a couple of previous filings. In one of them, I stumbled across a passage I had missed.

Most people assume BC sexually assaulted/raped her, but this has never been reported in the press, and investigators/prosecutors have never stated this publicly. However, in docket filing 150 - a government response to one of BC's motions, there is this passage on page 18, where the government is responding to BC's motion to strike the aggravator of prior violent acts:

The fact that the defendant previously committed a sexual assault similar to the one he inflicted upon Ms. Zhang informs the question of his “character and record.” As such, the “heightened reliability” appears to demand presentation of that evidence to the jury.

https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ilcd.70076/gov.uscourts.ilcd.70076.150.0.pdf

Of course, BC may have committed other acts of torture/physical abuse in addition to this, but this filing at least confirms that they will present evidence that BC sexually assaulted her.

There is also the question of the reliability of MD's claim of sexual assault by BC. His defense claims BC could not have assaulted her, because he was not in central Illinois when she was. The reason the FBI may believe her claim might be that she described an assault similar to what investigators heard BC describing, when MD could not have known what BC stated he had done to YY.

Legally, “sexual assault” is a broad category of which “rape” is just one specific act, among other lesser acts. I don’t believe we know the specific nature of BC’s prior “sexual assault” (but it may well not have included rape). I agree we tend to assume he intended to rape YY, but frankly it is possible he got his sexual gratification from torture alone, or alternatively, that she put up so much resistance that he never completed a rape before killing her. Unless he specifically described raping her on audiotape, I don’t see any way prosecutors could try to prove a rape charge, and of course a murder conviction will far outweigh any sexual assault charge in any event.

 

[dm92]

we had a long discussion about this second victim in an early thread, I remember it well. The girl's name was not disclosed, nor were any details.. not his wife.
If you go back to early thread and recall, he was a member of several clubs and far as I recall, he logged into at least one of them in the days following YY's disappearance. So to say that he had one partner when wife had 2 is inaccurate, he quite possibly had very many partners and on a regular basis, at that. If you study the progression of his 'likes' in these sites when he updated his 'preferences'- he went for all of it, every candy in the box, all shapes sizes and ages..None of it will lead to YY, I fear.
What, if anything will lead us to her body location?

Is there anything that is' hid right out in the open' here? So obvious that nobody would ever even think of searching it?

I don't doubt that BC probably messed around with multiple individuals, and some may have been ongoing up until this incident. The "one for him, two for her" refers to stated girlfriends and boyfriends in the open relationship sense. TEB was important and ongoing continuously so as to be called a "girlfriend" with whom he was "in a relationship." If there were others, their interactions were probably more sporadic, or one time only.

I would need to go back and read through some filings, but I seem to recall that the assault MD described took place in a cemetery......

 

[altojack]

A cemetery? I must have missed that somehow. I've no doubts that he's had many one off girls, makes me shudder just thinking.

 

[kittythehare]

A #cemetery?
I don't recall... but I do remember contemplating a cemetery as a possible location for her body... maybe there is an old cemetery close to his former apartment, an abandoned-type cemetery?
That would indeed be hid-right-out-in-the-open.
the last place anyone would search...
I wonder if first attack does play out as having taken place in a cemetery, whether it can be connected with any of his beliefs or practices, previously unpublished?
It's worth a look.

 

[dm92]

Legally, “sexual assault” is a broad category of which “rape” is just one specific act, among other lesser acts. I don’t believe we know the specific nature of BC’s prior “sexual assault” (but it may well not have included rape). I agree we tend to assume he intended to rape YY, but frankly it is possible he got his sexual gratification from torture alone, or alternatively, that she put up so much resistance that he never completed a rape before killing her. Unless he specifically described raping her on audiotape, I don’t see any way prosecutors could try to prove a rape charge, and of course a murder conviction will far outweigh any sexual assault charge in any event.

I would think for legal purposes, sexual assault (depending on the severity of what he did, perhaps) would classify as a form of torture/serious physical abuse that would serve as an aggravating circumstance that would count toward making this offense eligible for the death penalty. Severe physical abuse/torture could take the form of a sexual assault carried out with an instrument/device that could cause serious injury -injury that could be fatal if untreated. This might be what he did, or just one of multiple violent acts he perpetrated against her. No way to really know until the trial, or if more bits of information are revealed in further court filings.

 

[dm92]

A cemetery? I must have missed that somehow. I've no doubts that he's had many one off girls, makes me shudder just thinking.

Don't hold me to that, but I believe it can be found in a defense filing seeking to throw out the "other violent acts" non-statutory aggravator, or the US response to one of those filings......

 

[kittythehare]

more here!! More motions: Defense also seeks to bar sex-assault claim
Interesting- he met previous victim, 2013 in an online dating service as well...
Illinois scholar Yingying Zhang.

Ms. Zhang disappeared June 9, 2017, and is presumed dead by the FBI. A trial has been set for April 2019, but could be delayed by the recent removal of U.S. District Judge Colin Bruce, based on the discovery of a series of disparaging ex parte emails unrelated to the Christensen case.

Among the motions filed Friday by Christensen's attorneys:

— The defense seeks to prevent prosecutors from introducing allegations of sexual assault of a woman Christensen was said to have met on an online dating service several years earlier.

— The defense seeks to suppress some testimony and evidence of two witnesses, one of whom reported a man matching Christensen's description claimed to be an "undercover cop" in the campus area on the date of Ms. Zhang's disappearance.

— The defense asked to block a report on alleged mistreatment of a guinea pig as a "serious act of violence."

The News-Gazette reported Saturday on filings contesting the reliability of DNA evidence found in Christensen's Champaign apartment, and the training of cadaver-sniffing dog, also in the apartment.

 

[kittythehare]

and here's the cemetery!! same article as above
According to the filing, an unnamed woman called the FBI Public Access Line on June 30, 2017, the day of Christensen's arrest on a federal criminal complaint that charged him with Ms. Zhang's kidnapping three weeks earlier.

The woman reported she had met Christensen four years earlier on dating site OKcupid.com.

"She claimed that they went on a date together to get coffee, following which Mr. Christensen drove her to a cemetery, choked and threatened her and forced her to perform sexual acts. Thereafter, Mr. Christensen drove her home and she never reported what had happened," the filing states.

She was interviewed by law enforcement officers on four separate occasions to the defense lawyers' knowledge, they wrote.

She also had a Fet-Life membership according to same article.

we need to search cemeteries.

 

[kittythehare]

I just found this rejection of Brendt Christensen from a member of the kink community. It is really well written and I think it's worth a read.
http://hipporeads.com/in-defense-of-kink/
here's the last paragraph
o Brendt Christensen, and to all those who wish to appropriate the resources of the kink community for their own ends just as he did, I speak on behalf of everyone who sees Fetlife and the kink community as a whole as a space for authenticity, love, and strength, that we unequivocally reject you and your actions. For what you perpetuate isn’t kink, it isn’t beauteous or radical and it doesn’t service the flourishing of anyone. It is violence and destitution of autonomous and beauteous bodies that furthers Otherness and causes widespread harm to so many. We want no part of it and never have, and we will keep working actively to promote safe and informed actualization of the sexual self through kink. Neither you Christensen nor shoddy media like 50 Shades define us, WE define ourselves and so long as people perceive you to be emblematic of us, we know that there is a discourse to be resisted and we shall resist it, by continuing to be ourselves no matter how maligned we may be. Because that, more than whips and chains, and leather and collars, is what being a kinkster is.

 

[Webthrush]

more here!! More motions: Defense also seeks to bar sex-assault claim
Interesting- he met previous victim, 2013 in an online dating service as well...
Illinois scholar Yingying Zhang...... <snip>

Boy, this case is getting confusing! The above article makes it sound like the prior assault claim against BC could simply be bogus if the defense have their facts right (I previously thought it was well-established?)
The defense is pulling out all the stops (because it's a death penalty case), and in case of conviction I believe it automatically goes to appeal (but legal eagles correct me if I'm wrong), so some of YY's loved ones could well be dead before BC ever faces his fate.

Kitty, as far as searching cemeteries, they are regularly visited by family/relatives -- any body left at a cemetery would be discovered in pretty quick order, unless what you're implying is that BC may actually have dug up a gravesite and placed her in it -- but caretakers would notice that.

 

[kittythehare]

Boy, this case is getting confusing! The above article makes it sound like the prior assault claim against BC could simply be bogus if the defense have their facts right (I previously thought it was well-established?)
The defense is pulling out all the stops (because it's a death penalty case), and in case of conviction I believe it automatically goes to appeal (but legal eagles correct me if I'm wrong), so some of YY's loved ones could well be dead before BC ever faces his fate.

Kitty, as far as searching cemeteries, they are regularly visited by family/relatives -- any body left at a cemetery would be discovered in pretty quick order, unless what you're implying is that BC may actually have dug up a gravesite and placed her in it -- but caretakers would notice that.

I know it's wild and a helluva longshot but if he felt safe enough to allegedly attack the 2013 woman in a cemetery with impunity, perhaps he made a habit of it? Maybe it's a very old cemetery, one that would have few visitors.... article did not state name of cemetery alleged attack took place.
Unfortunately.
Again, these were all objections raised by his defence towards certain evidence being admitted.
I imagine that if the fBI are going to use this witness, they must have checked out.

What is unusual here, imho, is that he was allegedly engaging in the exact same practices, 4 years later. deriving sexual pleasure from the act of choking the other...
For 4 years???

 

[Niner]

Friday, January 4th:
*Submission of Proposed Jury Questions & Motions Hearing (@ 9am ET) - IL - Yingying Zhang (26) (missing on June 9, 2017, Urbana; not found) - *Brendt A. Christensen (28) indicted (6/30/17) on kidnapping (Federal charge) resulting in death of Yingying and 2 counts of giving false statements to FBI. Plead not guilty; DA will seek DP.
1/4/19: Submission of proposed jury questionnaire & Motions (from 12/17-12/19 hearings; 1/11: Jury questionnaire discussion; 1/18: Objections to jury instructions; 2/1: Conf. on jury instructions & selection; 2/8: Motion in limine; 3/1: Response to Motion in limine; 3/4: Motion to strike potential jurors; 3/11: Pretrial Conf.; 3/25: Final Pretrial Conf.; 4/2: Jury Orientation; 4/3: Jury Selection begins; 4/9: Trial begins, which should last about 5 weeks.
12/17/18: Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Dec 17, 2018: Motion Hearing Minute Entry for proceedings held 12/17/18. Motion hearing held. Evidence for Government presented. Witnesses sworn; testimony heard. Defendant orally moved to withdraw Motion 95 ; granted. Government's Motion to Quash 188 is MOOT as Defendant was unable to serve subpoena. Government may re-raise matter if necessary. Defendant's Emergency Motion for Evidentiary Hearing 187 discussed; arguments heard. Government to file reply by 12/21/18. Hearing thereon scheduled for 1/18/19 at 9:30 AM. Defendant orally moved for the entry of a preservation order re: security video at Livingston County Jail; granted. Court recessed until 9:00 AM on 12/18/18.
12/18/18: Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Dec 18, 2018: Motion hearing continued from 12/17/18. Evidence presented. Witnesses sworn; testimony heard. As follow-up to the oral motion made by Defendant at the hearing on 12/17/18 for the entry of a preservation order regarding security video at Livingston County Jail, the Court will enter a written order and directs the Government to contact the Livingston County Jail to notify them that order is coming and ask them not to destroy security tape of Defendant's cell. Motion hearing concluded; written order to be entered ruling on Defendant's motions 96 97 98 100 . Discussion held regarding future scheduling. Parties to submit revised proposed scheduling order. Motion hearing regarding 118 119 scheduled for 2/4/19 at 9:00 AM, CR A, Urbana. Discussion held regarding juror questionnaires. Juror questionnaire will be re-visited at the 1/18/19 hearing. Discussion held regarding outstanding unexecuted witness subpoena. Motion to Quash Subpoena 188 is moot as Court has heard evidence and argument and is prepared to rule on motions 96 97 100.
12/19/18: Christensen’s lawyers argued to suppress evidence gathered during an FBI search of his apartment, as well as statements he made in the weeks leading up to his arrest. Monday: All six FBI special agents told nearly identical stories, saying the defendant's then wife, Michelle Christensen, agreed to the search, and willingly cooperated with the investigation in the following weeks. On Tuesday when Michelle Christensen (now Zortman) took the stand, she told a very different story. She said the FBI took advantage of her in a vulnerable state, and that she didn't know she could've objected to the search. U.S. District Judge James Shadid will decide whether or not the evidence gathered by the FBI the night of the search will be used during the trial. Shadid plans to rule on this and other pre-trial motions within the next two weeks. Additional pre-trial hearings regarding DNA evidence and the findings of a K-9 used in the investigation will take place in January (1/4, 1/11 & 1/18) and February (2/8).
12/21/18: Defense have requested a hearing to discuss the admissibility of evidence obtained during an FBI search of the defendant’s jail cell. On Dec. 14, FBI agents went to Livingston County Jail to search Christensen’s cell and interview fellow inmates while he was at a pre-trial hearing in Peoria. Defense filed an emergency motion requesting an evidentiary hearing, claiming the search violated the defendant’s rights. On Friday (12/21/18), the government filed a formal response to the complaint, asking that the court dismiss the defense's request, as the search didn't violate the rights of the defendant. In their response, prosecutors explained the reasoning behind the FBI’s timing of the search. Although the government objects to an evidentiary hearing on this matter, they’re willing to bring in a third-party legal expert to ensure no attorney-client materials were obtained in the search.

 

[Niner]

Friday, January 11th:

*Jury Questionnaire Discussion & Motions Hearing (@ 9am ET) - IL - Yingying Zhang (26) (missing on June 9, 2017, Urbana; not found) - *Brendt A. Christensen (28) indicted (6/30/17) on kidnapping (Federal charge) resulting in death of Yingying and 2 counts of giving false statements to FBI. Plead not guilty; DA will seek DP.
1/11: Jury questionnaire discussion & Motions 1/18: Objections to jury instructions; 2/1: Conf. on jury instructions & selection; 2/8: Motion in limine; 3/1: Response to Motion in limine; 3/4: Motion to strike potential jurors; 3/11: Pretrial Conf.; 3/25: Final Pretrial Conf.; 4/2: Jury Orientation; 4/3: Jury Selection begins; 4/9: Trial begins, which should last about 5 weeks.
12/19/18: Christensen’s lawyers argued to suppress evidence gathered during an FBI search of his apartment, as well as statements he made in the weeks leading up to his arrest. Monday: All six FBI special agents told nearly identical stories, saying the defendant's then wife, Michelle Christensen, agreed to the search, and willingly cooperated with the investigation in the following weeks. On Tuesday when Michelle Christensen (now Zortman) took the stand, she told a very different story. She said the FBI took advantage of her in a vulnerable state, and that she didn't know she could've objected to the search.
U.S. District Judge James Shadid will decide whether or not the evidence gathered by the FBI the night of the search will be used during the trial. Shadid plans to rule on this and other pre-trial motions within the next two weeks.
Additional pre-trial hearings regarding DNA evidence and the findings of a K-9 used in the investigation will take place in January (1/4, 1/11 & 1/18) and February (2/8).
12/21/18: Defense have requested a hearing to discuss the admissibility of evidence obtained during an FBI search of the defendant’s jail cell. On Dec. 14, FBI agents went to Livingston County Jail to search Christensen’s cell and interview fellow inmates while he was at a pre-trial hearing in Peoria. Defense filed an emergency motion requesting an evidentiary hearing, claiming the search violated the defendant’s rights. On Friday (12/21/18), the government filed a formal response to the complaint, asking that the court dismiss the defense's request, as the search didn't violate the rights of the defendant. In their response, prosecutors explained the reasoning behind the FBI’s timing of the search. Although the government objects to an evidentiary hearing on this matter, they’re willing to bring in a third-party legal expert to ensure no attorney-client materials were obtained in the search.

 

[CUlocal]

Unusual new legal twist in U of I Chinese scholar murder

 

[CUlocal]

This case is just... Smh.. I hope to see justice for Yingying..