University Of Illinois Kidnapping Trial Delayed

URBANA, IL — The federal kidnapping trial of a man accused in the abduction of a University of Illinois scholar from China has been rescheduled.

The trial of Brendt Christensen in the disappearance of Yingying Zhang was scheduled to start Sept. 12. U.S. District Court Judge Colin Bruce on Monday granted Christensen's attorneys' request for a continuance until Feb. 27, 2018.

Defense attorney Tom Bruno said the defense is still waiting to see some of the evidence against Christensen. He added it would be unrealistic for the trial to begin before January.

Zhang disappeared June 9, weeks after arriving at the central Illinois campus. Investigators say they believe the 26-year-old is dead. Her body hasn't been found.

Christensen is suspected of abducting her in Urbana while she was going to sign an apartment lease.

More from Patch:

• Man Charged With Kidnapping Missing University Of Illinois Scholar Visited 'Abduction 101' Forum: Feds
• Missing University Of Illinois Scholar's Father: 'Give My Daughter Back'
• Kidnapping Suspect Attended Vigil For Missing Scholar

Main photo: Lifeng Ye, seated-center, is comforted by her son Xinyang Zhang, left, and Xiaolin Hou, right, after a news conference at the I-Hotel in Urbana, Ill., Tuesday Aug. 22, 2017. Lifeng Ye, is the mother, Xinyang Zhang is the younger brother, and Xiaolin Hou is the boyfriend of visiting Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang who went missing on June 9. (Rick Danzl/News-Gazette via AP)