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FBI Arrests Man, Believes Missing U Of I Scholar Is Dead

Photo Provided by University of Illinois Police

The FBI says it has arrested a Champaign man in the disappearance of a visiting University of Illinois scholar. It also says it believes the Chinese scholar, 26-year-old Yingying Zhang, is dead.

The FBI it arrested 27-year-old Brendt Christensen on Friday.

The criminal complaint provided by the FBI says Christensen is charged with kidnapping. He will make his first appearance in federal court on Monday.

The FBI did not say why it believes Zhang is dead, only that information discovered during the search led agents to that conclusion.

Zhang was last seen June 9. Video from a security camera on the university campus showed her climbing into a car and being driven away.

Urbana-Champaign campus Chancellor Robert Jones announced her death to the campus with “great sorrow.” He says a public memorial will be held Saturday night.