Man Charged With Kidnapping Missing University Of Illinois Scholar Visited 'Abduction 101' Forum: Feds

CHAMPAIGN, IL — A Champaign man was charged Friday in the kidnapping of University of Illinois scholar Yingying Zhang, and law enforcement said they believe the missing 26-year-old is no longer alive. FBI agents arrested Brendt A. Christensen, 27, on Friday evening. Christensen was allegedly the person behind the wheel of a black, four-door Saturn Astra when Zhang was seen on surveillance video getting into the vehicle.

The Department of Justice said Christensen was under law enforcement surveillance when agents overheard him explaining that he kidnapped Zhang. "Based on this, and other facts uncovered during the investigation of this matter, law enforcement agents believe that Ms. Zhang is no longer alive," authorities said.

Zhang arrived at University of Illinois in April for a yearlong stint as a photosynthesis and crop productivity researcher, and was on her way to sign a lease at an apartment building when she went missing in Urbana on June 9. According to officials, she texted the apartment building manager saying she was running 10 minutes late and would arrive at around 2:10 p.m. Surveillance footage from around 2 p.m. that day showed her getting into the Astra, when then drove away. She has not been seen since. A text message sent by the apartment manager to Zhang at 2:38 p.m. went unanswered.

According to the criminal complaint, authorities investigated 18 black, four-door Saturn Astras registered in Champaign County. On June 12, they located one of those vehicles in an apartment complex parking lot in Champaign. The owner, Christensen, could not initially recall his whereabouts between 2 and 3 p.m. June 9, authorities said. He then told authorities he was either sleeping or playing video games at his apartment all day, the complaint states. Law enforcement conducted a search of Christensen's vehicle with his consent, but did not locate or remove any items from the Astra, officials said.

Additional review of surveillance footage showed the suspect vehicle had a sunroof and cracked front passenger hubcap, prompting a return trip to Christensen's apartment complex. Law enforcement found that Christensen's vehicle had a sunroof and a cracked hubcap matching the one seen in the video, according to the complaint.

During an interview with FBI agents, Christensen "admitted to driving around the UI campus when he observed an Asian female with a backpack standing at a corner appearing distressed," the complaint notes. He told authorities he offered her a ride and she accepted, using a map on her cellphone to show him where she needed to go, it adds. Christensen told agents he believed he made a wrong turn, causing her to become panicked, and he let her out of the vehicle in a residential area near where he'd picked her up, according to the complaint.

Authorities said law enforcement executed a search warrant at Christensen's home, finding his cell phone, which showed that in April he visited a forum called "Abduction 101" on the website FetLife, with subthreads "Perfect abduction fantasy" and "planning a kidnapping."

The complaint notes that authorities began conducting surveillance on Christensen on June 16. On June 29, he reportedly was captured on audio recording explaining how he kidnapped Zhang, took her to his apartment and held her in his apartment against her will. She remained missing as of Friday.

"Our thoughts and hearts are with the family, friends and loved ones of Yingying Zhang," University of Illinois police said in a statement. "The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Counseling Center has made resources available to campus community members who have been affected by this news."

More from Patch:

• Missing University Of Illinois Scholar's Father: 'Give My Daughter Back'
• Vehicle Used In Missing Scholar's Abduction Found: FBI

Image via University of Illinois Police Department