Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 4 July 2017

Hundreds outside courthouse as abduction suspect has hearing

By MICHAEL TARM dence comes in.” Authorities say Zhang was
Associated Press He described his client as trying to hurry to an apart-
CHICAGO (AP) — Hun- a “very intelligent guy” ment to sign a lease and
dreds of people gathered who has no criminal history. had been unsuccessful in
outside a federal court- “He has a speeding ticket, flagging down a bus when
house Monday as the sus- I think, but that’s about it,” a car stopped. The video
pect in the kidnapping of Bruno said. shows a woman authorities
a Chinese scholar at the Bruno added that Chris- have said is Zhang climb
University of Illinois made tensen is married, but that into the vehicle in Urbana,
his first appearance since he and his wife do not have 140 miles (225 kilometers)
being arrested last week. any children, according to southwest of Chicago.
During the nine-minute the newspaper. He said Since then, details have
hearing, 28-year-old Christensen, who recently emerged about Chris-
Brendt Christensen ac- earned a master’s degree tensen and the events
knowledged to the judge in physics from the Universi- leading up to Zhang’s dis-
that he understood his ty of Illinois, is not employed appearance.
rights, but did not say any- but has been looking for a According to authorities,
thing else. U.S. Magistrate job. Zhang, who received a website that hosted an
Eric Long ordered Chris- her master’s degree in en- “Abduction 101” forum
tensen held without bond This photo provided by the Macon County Sheriff’s Office in vironmental engineering in linked Christensen to the
Decatur, Ill., shows Brendt Christensen, the suspect in the kid-
in the kidnapping of Yingy- napping of visiting University of Illinois Chinese scholar Yingying China last year and hoped kidnapping of Zhang. The
ing Zhang. Authorities say Zhang. At Christensen’s first court appearance at federal court in to eventually land a profes- federal complaint says
facts in the case indicate Urbana, Ill., Monday, July 3, 2017, a judge ordered Christensen sorship and help her family Christensen’s phone was
the 26-year-old Zhang is held without bond. Authorities said facts in the case indicate the financially, went missing on used April 19 to visit that
dead, although her body Zhang is dead, although her body hasn’t been found. June 9. Her father traveled website, FetLife.com, in-
hasn’t been found. (Macon County Sheriff’s Office via AP) from China to Illinois in June cluding to view threads
Long ordered Christensen for the search. titled “Perfect abduction
to return to the court in attorney’s office spokes- After the hearing, Chris- Authorities announced fantasy” and “planning a
Urbana on Wednesday to woman. tensen’s attorney Evan that they believed she was kidnapping.”
determine bond. A pre- The (Champaign) News- Bruno said he has talked abducted after viewing FetLife describes itself as
liminary hearing was set for Gazette reported that to Christensen a few times, surveillance video show- “the Social Network for the
July 14, but that would be about 45 people attended but that “this case is very ing her climbing into a ve- BDSM, Fetish & Kinky Com-
waived if a grand jury re- the hearing Monday morn- young and we haven’t hicle. Authorities charged munity,” stressing in online
turns an indictment before ing, with another crowd in had a really full opportunity Christensen on Friday after policy statements that it
then. The federal kidnap- the courthouse lobby and to develop everything yet.” federal agents heard him is a place for consenting
ping charge carries a max- yet more people across Bruno asked the public to tell someone that he’d kid- adults to trade advice and
imum sentence of life in the street, many chanting “be patient, to keep an napped Zhang and held images of themselves, and
prison, according to a U.S. “Justice for Yingying.” open mind, wait till the evi- her against her will. to arrange to meet.q
California man pleads not guilty to killing 5-year-old son

By MICHAEL BALSAMO Aug. 16. remains, authorities had sio Rodriguez said outside son and would not answer
Associated Press Authorities have said An- twice previously searched court his client was “in a other questions about the
ALHAMBRA, Calif. (AP) — dressian killed his son, Ar- the lake unsuccessfully, us- state of shock” and that a case.
A California man who au- amazd Andressian Jr., to ing dogs and a dive team. blue smock his client wore The boy’s mother and doz-
thorities say killed his son get back at his estranged Los Angeles County sheriff’s during the arraignment ens of other family mem-
after a family trip to Disney- wife. But they haven’t dis- investigators have said they was a suicide-prevention bers attending the arraign-
land pleaded not guilty to closed how the boy was think the boy was killed garment. Andressian was ment Monday.
a murder charge Monday, killed, what evidence there early April 21 after a trip to also being evaluated by a “We are all grieving right
days after his son’s body is linking the father to the Disneyland. Andressian told jail psychiatrist, he said. now,” Shaun Estevez, the
was found near a Southern boy’s death or what led authorities that he drove “Obviously my client is deal- boy’s uncle, said after the
California lake. them to find the young that day about 145 miles ing with this and being ac- arraignment. “We’re really
Aramazd Andressian Sr., boy’s body more than two (233 kilometers) to Lake cused of murdering his son hurting.”
hands shackled at his months after his disappear- Cachuma. and his son’s body found,” He said his sister, the boy’s
waist, appeared before ance. Andressian was brought Rodriguez said. “This is a mother, is still trying to
Los Angeles County Supe- Homicide detectives dis- back to Los Angeles last horrible day. In a long line come to grips with her son’s
rior Court Judge Cathryn covered the remains of the week from Las Vegas, of horrible days.” death.
Brougham, who set bail at boy near Lake Cachuma in where he had been living Rodriguez declined to com- “We’re here for justice for
$10 million and scheduled Santa Barbara County on for more than a month. ment when asked what his Piqui,” he said, using the
a preliminary hearing for June 30. Before finding the Defense attorney Ambro- client says happened to his boy’s nickname. q