(AP) – A University of Illinois graduate student has told jurors that the man on trial for abducting and killing a 26-year-old visiting scholar from China attempted to get her into his car by posing as an undercover police officer.
Emily Hogan testified Tuesday that Brendt Christensen wore mirrored sunglasses and flashed a fake badge after pulling up to her at a bus stop. She approached his car but backed away when he asked her to get in.
Prosecutors say that happened on June 9, 2017, as Christensen hunted for a victim to fulfill a homicidal fantasy. They say that four hours later he successfully lured Yingying Zhang into his car, raped, beat and killed her.
The Champaign News-Gazette reports Hogan testified she felt physically ill when she identified Christensen’s photo in a police display days later.
Christensen’s trial is taking place in federal court in Peoria.