(AP) – The family of a scholar from China killed by a former University of Illinois doctoral student says they’re aware he offered to divulge where her remains were but weren’t convinced the body would actually be found.
A Wednesday statement from Yingying Zhang’s relatives says they were “leery” of Brendt Christensen’s offer “because he had lied so many times in the past.”
The defense said in a Tuesday filing that Christensen made the offer, asking for a life sentence in exchange.
Jurors convicted Christensen Monday in a federal death-penalty trial of kidnapping Zhang in 2017 and beating her to death.
Tuesday’s defense filing asks the judge to bar statements at an upcoming death-penalty phase that suggest Christensen refused to locate Zhang’s remains.
Zhang’s relatives said they “respect the decisions that have been made” by prosecutors.
