Search for missing UIUC student Yingying Zhang continues
She went missing around 2PM on Friday
On June 11th campus police informed the Champaign-Urbana community that 26-year-old student Yingying Zhang went missing on June 9th, and has not been heard from since Friday afternoon.
Zhang is an international student from China, studying at the University of Illinois to reserach photosynthesis and crop productivity, according to the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
Email sent to faculty and students
University police spokesman Pat Wade reported that before her disappearance, Zhang was headed to the One North apartment complex on North Lincoln Avenue in Urbana to sign a lease. Wade told the Daily News Gazette “she texted the property manager at One North at 1:30PM, said she was going to be late and never showed up. That was the last anyone has heard from her.” After the original UI police report was made, further development was made from viewing surveillance footage of Zhang boarding a Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District Teal line bus at 1:35PM. on Friday, at the south shelter at the Orchard Downs complex in Urbana.
After footage of Zhang entering and exiting the Teal bus was released, earlier today there was footage from a surveillance video showing Zhang near the B-4 parking garage in Urbana, standing on the east side of Goodwin Ave. After speaking with the driver of a black Saturn Astra that approached her, she entered the vehicle, which continued heading north down Goodwin.
Detectives are examining her records from apps such as Uber to see if Zhang may have arranged for a ride, according to spokesperson Wade. Campus police urge anyone with details to call 217-333-1216.