I hate the fact that Yingying was already struggling and fearful being in a foreign country and then this monster came along. She deserved so much better.
The kindness of the woman in the laundromat brought me to tears, as well as the fact that the endearing term "baby" took on a double meaning for Ying Ying, as she felt like she was like a newborn living in a new country. Rest in peace Ying Ying.
@@CJLOVE23 I am a woman and find this sweeping brushstroke offensive. Plenty are swindled and hurt by women. Sure, psychopaths like he are likely to 'hunt in a way that fits their physical strength. That's a very specific thing.
Her parents setting up the fund for foreign students families in the event of disaster is phenomenal. Can you imagine your daughter going missing and not being able to afford to fly abroad to help the search? That made me cry, even in their grief they wanted to ensure no one has to experience that
It is absolutely horrid for anyone to lose a child much less like THIS. if anyone hurt my son, it would be game over for them AND me. Id do things so terrible no one would survive it. That would be the only way id ever smile again. Truly.
I've heard this case many times but Yingying always seemed like a side character in the story. Thank you for making her the main character and giving her a voice.
I know it's a low bar but it's a relief to see a case where the local PD takes a missing person report seriously from the get-go, and reaches out to the FBI for help rather than stubbornly trying to manage alone. Rest in Peace, Yingying 💖
It was amazing how quickly they responded, and didn't pull that "she's a college student, probably drunk and picked up a guy". Also, the Asian community really made sure this was taken seriously, and banded together immediately, as did the college community. This school is very well known across international circles. Politics too played a big role, and the future of a continued strong pipeline of foreign students. This was such a tragic, and senseless crime.
Foreign students missing generally get attention for a number of reasons. Also in general most everyone in their host countries become alarmed when they go missing. There is this united feeling of responsibility from the public for their safety during their temporary stay - which clearly this ass did not feel.
Ahh I didn't think about the foreign national part, of course the FBI would be more likely to get involved when it could lead to a diplomatic incident. I'm sure it also really helps when a local community is actively involved & vocal as the local Asian community was here. As an added question, I'm not American but is it correct that a missing person case is an FBI matter but a known homicide isn't? If so, I do get it as a missing person case has more urgency to retrieve the victim unharmed if at all possible, and it's more likely to involve a larger geographical area, but I also feel like a murder should receive the same level of help as a suspected murder/missing person, to ensure the perpetrator is brought to justice.. I could have that completely wrong though!
“Wasn’t his fault because he was depressed and into BDSM” wow. His lawyers literally just gave up right away. That’s the weakest excuse for anything I’ve ever heard.
When a black woman calls you “baby”, we say it as a term of endearment!!! Wish that sweet girl knew that the woman wasn’t calling her baby as in helpless or anything like that! Nope that woman really liked you and thought of you as a sweet baby ❤
on the other part of her diary she appreciate the woman for her kindness, its pretty certain she knows that its a term of endearment and she was a nice person. but its also serve as double-entendre because of her insecurities in a different country.
@@mjanny6330 Your response here is “weird” and out of place. Remember where you are. The comment section of a video about Yingying Zhang. While you’re here it won’t be unusual to see posts expressing emotions about her tragic death. How is my comment any reflection on the “modern world”? It isn’t. A person is capable of feeling empathy for more than one thing at a time. How would it have been constructive for me to come to this comment section and remind everyone people are dying all over the world? It wouldn’t have been, because this video is about YingYing Zhang. Saying nothing at all is an option that is permanently available to you, and one that I urge you to more frequently consider.
@M Janny love how you just treat her empathy for this girl as disingenuous while putting literal nonsense she didn't state right under it as if she's making some kind of hypocritical statement here. Nobody said anything about rolling their eyes or not feeling sorry for others. The video is case-specific. Stop being fucking weird
"I'm still a baby!" I'm sobbing at this. She was a kid, she was scared in a new country and so welcoming to help and kindness from others, only to be horrifically taken advantage of. This world is so dark.
Yes it is a scary world sometimes. I've lived alone in many countries and never would I accept a ride from a man I didn't know and trust. There are taxis, ubers, cops, hotels, and churches. Pick one and ask them to take you there or get directions from them to find your way. Get there somehow, but never with some strange man.
3 minutes in and I'm crying. Her diary entry of relying on the kindness of strangers to help her find her way hit a little too close to home... That human trash can took away a sweet, innocent soul. So tragic. Thank you for the deep dive, as always!
No one around to ask for help on a rainy day. Everyone's just in their cars sequestered off from anyone else. And how her life ended, to top it all off. This is everything I hate about this country. Makes me want to move away.
I've seen this case but never has anyone delved into who Yingying was so much. What an interesting and thoughtful young scholar. I was really moved by the number of people immediately worried when she went missing, as well as her beautiful diary entry. Why did it have to be THIS asshole to stop for her that day?! Such a great loss for two different countries. RIP bright beauty!
Was thinking the same thing. Speaks volumes she was able to have such an impact on her roommates and friends. Glad the police got right on it. I’ve seen this case before but didn’t know how detailed she was in her diary and with her routine. I hate this nasty loser lowlife
Same, I've always known she was deeply loved from how her family and friends reacted to her disappearance, but I've never really had a look from her perspective before. So humanizing and makes it all feel even sadder and more injust :(
I agree. I never saw her diary entries before. She was struggling to connect to others in the US and one of the first people she trusted did this. Awful
@@vivelajonny Most would prefer YingYing to be alive over a video. Her life was more valuable than any videos made about her murder, regardless of how well made they are.
I'll never forget the recorded convo his gf secretly took. Where he said YhingYhing fought and fought and wouldn't give up. And how she tried so hard and long to get away it was "almost supernatural" he stated. Disgusting freak.
So sickening. I hear about monsters like this freak and have very unkind thoughts about the horrible fates I wish for them. Seriously, why do they go undetected long enough to do harm to others? They should have been removed from society before getting the opportunity.
if only that bus had waited a few seconds to let her get on; i know they have to follow a strict schedule, and there's no way the driver knew that anything horrible would happen to yingying, but it really makes you think about how the smallest changes could've had such a huge impact, in retrospect
The bus driver must have felt horrible. I feel like most of us who have had to take buses regularly in the US know they aren't reliable and schedule info can be confusing or incorrect, but she hadn't been here long. She trusted maps to be right about what side of the street it was on... why can't we even get the basics right?? Her diary entry about how the cars must be so warm in the rain hurt. Our car culture is so isolating.
If buses come once every ten or fifteen minutes I totally understand the drivers who don't stop for stragglers. But there are a lot of places in the US where due to budget constraints buses only come once every hour and you are kinda fucked if you miss that one bus. I totally understand on a visceral level how desperate you feel when you miss that bus because the driver saw you running and said "nah"--that's been me before.
They don't stop on purpose when person is on otherwise of street. People run across road without looking and get hit. I believe this was the case here.
The bus driver needed therapy and is very guilty about what happened. The multiple caseworkers and psychologists at the university that literally had this guy walk into their office and say "I fantasize about killing people and have a kill kit" did not need therapy or really feel any guilt.
I live in Oregon and buses do not stop and wait for people for the reason that a couple times it has caused people to die because they will run for the bus and then get hit by a car because they're not paying attention and for some reason they think catching and making this one bus is so important they put all safety and care to the wind. So if you are not at the bus stop when the bus comes you're going to have to wait 15 minutes for the next one and although that sucks I completely understand it.
Thank you for showing the excerpt from her diary and humanizing Ying Ying. She was a beautiful, sweet soul who reminded me very much of many of my former students back in China - smart, hardworking, with big dreams for a better future. What she has gone through in her last moments makes me shiver. Rest in peace, dear Ying Ying.
@@JF-cn3cz look at V P's comment, their taking the opportunity to get triggered about something they made up in their head.. so pc they're coming off as sociopathic, like leftists tend to do.
I couldn’t stop crying either! As an immigrant myself and someone who came to this country all by myself I felt every word that she wrote in my soul. Literally broke my heart.
That piece from her diary literally made me tear up because of how much I could relate to the part about finding a kind soul in a storm. I'm an RN and had to take a moment in a hallway outside a patient's room to compose myself. All of a sudden I felt someone's arms around me, and an African American woman (a patient's family member I think) rocked me for a second and kept repeating "You're alright baby" AND WHEN I TELL YOU I DISSOLVED INTO A PUDDLE OF HUMAN EMOTION OH MY GOD. I really did feel like an infant... and that reflection in her diary brought me right back there. I hope, at least once in a my life, I can hold someone and say "You're alright baby" and have them believe me - even if just for that moment.
As a woman living alone in Japan, where English isn’t widely spoken, this case hits extra hard. You really just want to assume the best in everyone and that people will help you out. For the most part they are and they do, as Ying Ying even says in her diary; you are like a baby trying to figure everything out, and people do tend to be kind. But you have to be so careful who you trust, especially men. Poor girl picked the wrong person to trust. I hate to say it, but my no. 1 piece of advice (and from others who’ve been in my situation) for women living abroad and alone is only trust other women if you’re relying on strangers for help. Too many men will take advantage of women on their own.
yea in the U.S. you pretty much really cant trust anybody. it sucks because in some areas people are so wary of each other you cant even ask someone what time it is.
I have an American friend that's been living in Japan for 8yrs and she hasn't made a single friend yet. She does well enough to get around & live life but no invites to social events/meals etc. It seems to be a difficult society to connect with others. Unless you're family, people keep their distance for the most part, esp from foreigners. Anecdotal I know, but I've heard of similar experiences generally speaking. My son just returned from Tokyo after a 2mo visit & the language barrier was difficult. Most countries speak English as a 2nd/3rd language making it easier to navigate
@@gristamshackleford2102I'm sorry that you have that experience of the U.S., so many places are full of kind, selfless people. In a small town, I would bet that 60% of people would give me the shirt off their back even if they didn't know me.
@@reaganjaegan well i live in CT new england is a very snobby area. there are alot of rich judgemental people. i also used to live in southern CA where there was alot of crime and con artists so nobody trusted anybody. i have visited the southern states and yea, your right there are alot of good folks out there.
One of the saddest parts of this story to me is that she must have been relieved and happy when he picked her up and the moment she realized he wasn't there to help man it breaks my heart
Prob not relieved and happy, wasn't he impersonating a cop? She was prob more likely concerned that she was in legal trouble, and extremely vulnerable to such scams, which makes this story all the more sad and disgusting
and that she could do nothing at that point. All of these crime stories are tragic, but some, like this one, have an extra layer of terror/horror that are unfathomable.
It is sad, but I live alone in a foreign country and hardly anyone speaks English here. I wouldn't accept a ride from a stranger in my own country (the US) and that goes for any country I happen to be in. If I feel lost or concerned about my safety, I take the first taxi or call uber. And if I temporarily had no common sense I would never get in a car with a man. A woman, perhaps. If she had children or a baby.
@@cantfindmykeys well, women are often used as "bait" and some of the most tragic cases involved a female gaining the trust of a victim. This murderer presented a police badge to the victim - she thought he was law enforcement.
the diary entry really shows how scared she must’ve been. she had only just had some faith restored in the kindness of strangers only to have it ripped away again. you’re a good man, theodore mcdreading. never stop.
@@randomname9709 tell that to ted bundy, richard ramirez, joseph james deangelo, david berkowitz, david parker ray, roy norris, lawrence bittaker, john robinson, paul bernardo, david birnie, bruce pardo, daniel wozniak, john christie, arthur shawcross, david koresh, edmund kemper, ed gein, blake leibel, grant amato, scott peterson, chris coleman, chris watts, christopher lee, issei sagawa, lyndon mcleod, elliot roger, joji obara, jake davison, alek minassian, donald gaskins, jim jones, anthony todt, gary heidnik, charles manson, marilyn manson, woody allen, harvey weinstein, bob weinstein, tommy mottola, larry nassar, R kelly, josh duggar, chris brown, charlie sheen, elvis presley, ike turner, nic cage, shia labeouf, mark salling, ian watkins, sylvester stallone, nick carter, brock turner, roy moore, dan schneider, john K, danny masterson, bill cosby, roman polanski, hugh hefner, gary glitter, vincent margera, frederick coe, richard gillmore, daniel holtzclaw, paul ogorzow, george joseph cvek, jimmy savile, gerald gallego, richard speck, robert garrow, fred west, christopher wilder, shlomo haliva, peter tobin, melvin carter, robert hansen, eddie mosley, clarence alligood, billy milligan, todd hodne, bobby joe long, ronnie shelton, randy comeaux, richard allen minsky............i could go on. -and that's just the guys documented in english!!!!!-
For anyone interested, I just donated to Yingying’s fund and it was very simple and easy. The minimum donation is $5 and you can pay by card. Thank you for sharing her case ❤
Her diary entry shows how vulnerable she was feeling......talking about her usual Faith in people was wavering here and she felt afraid......then her Faith was being restored by a random kind woman in the laundromat....I have seen this Interrogation before and felt SO BAD for Yingying.....but this story-telling has brought me to tears.....the World she loved so much betrayed her by the evil heart of this true Monster
This one made me really sad. The diary hearing how she perceived the way black women especially older black women talk and her genuinely cherishing the pet names idk it was so sweet idk why I started crying. She seemed like such a pure soul. 🥺🙁
Yes my thoughts exactly. That was so sweet, this is why you should be kind to others because sometimes it's just the small things that get people through the day. That sweet girl was an asset to our country while she was here. My heart breaks for her in her last moments and for her family. Those interrogators did an excellent job too backing him into a corner.
It’s so heartbreaking that one day she had a localization problem, felt sad, isolated and powerless, only to unexpectedly be helped by a total stranger and feel that she can trust on others regardless of feeling the “strange in a strange land” - And then there was another day, and a similar situation, and another stranger “offered a helping hand”, but this time things happened terrifyingly different. The circle of emotional backlash from a situation repeating, to once again a promise of hope, to the utter betrayal and torment. It drives me up the walls. She was failed by. At least it’s notable that, even struggling with what she struggled, she was so important to so many people that within hours of her disappearance folks from two countries mobilized in mass with such force in her search.
I am also a Chinese student studying in the US, and my grandpa is from the same area Yingying is from in China. This story broke my heart. I share the same hope and same loneliness with Yingying. I hope she can rest in peace.
I hope you find your time in the U.S. school a wonderful part of your life with many friends and a good support system. I myself live in Canada in case you are wondering why I worded my comment this way. Take care and stay safe. 🙂💜🙏🏼🙏🏼🇨🇦
Hey dreading! I just want to say that I REALLY APPRECIATE you adding who Ying Ying was, all her hard work, the type of person she was and giving us a glimpse of her. Not just some victim who had bad stuff happen to her. She seemed like a truly wonderful person.
you can't unless its an immediate threat to life and if board has no direct knowledge that the dude is a murderer youll lose your license. especially if its a student is under immense pressure
as a UIUC alumni, Zhang Yingying's story will always be one that I remember. UIUC has a very high population of international students from all over the world, and it is so heartbreaking that someone took advantage of her vulnerability as an international student in such a horrible way. I wish so desperately that they had been able to recover her remains for her family. The UIUC community will never let your story be forgotten, Yingying. You deserved so much better.
@@jd32k it’s very huge! a lot of my first friends moving into the dorms were majority asian, especially ISR because they are open in the summer for students who are international. but overall, huge asian student body!
Literally nightmare fuel. Imagine being in a foreign country, you have trouble w the language, stressed, running late, and a car pulls up to help you and he says he's a police officer and yes, of course he'll help you. 🕊️
Agreed. Doing this to anyone is psychopathic. Doing this to someone who doesn’t know their surroundings and is scared, etc. that’s next level evil. So horrifying.
This was the stuff of nightmares. The things my dad warned me of when we moved to Texas when I was 4. Never talk to strangers. Never rely on the kindness of others unless you have the power to run
I've heard this murderer's story many times, but until now I have never heard Yingying's story. Once I realized what story this was, I cried because I couldn't believe every other person to tell this story was more fascinated by the pathetic, stupid life of a two-bit life-taker than the beautiful, profound, inspiring life of Yingying. The world suffered a massive loss at the hands of a complete loser. Can't even be bothered to remember his name.
This is a very good point! I too have seen this interrogation & heard the story multiple times, yet have hardly heard anything but her name and maybe one picture. What a shame. This fool does not deserve any attention.
I disagree with your negative characterization of other sources. I've also seen multiple stories and videos covering this tragedy and I agree that this video did a good job of covering Yingying's story. I also agree that some sources sensationalize and to an extent glorifies these monstrous criminals. I also agree that it would be a good thing to see covered more often. I don't think that makes every other source bad - they typically all cover her story to varying extents, as well as her parents' plight and subsequent actions, although perhaps not as much as this piece. You don't need to put everyone else down to complement someone.
Wow, profound is a good word for her. Her curiosity, fascination of life and how it works, and her hope/connection she had with and for people was profound indeed. The many people stepped forward when they knew she was missing made me tear up, because so many people loved her so much they caught on immediately when she was taken.
@@JungleLibrary they're saying they'd rather you focus on the victims story instead of giving the murderer more attention and screen time. He doesn't deserve to even be mentioned by name, just forgotten.
I know this is such a simple and small thing but I love how you title the cases with the victim's names as opposed to the perpetrators. No one really does that and it shows much respect so thank you.
When she put "I am still a baby." My heart just sunk. I never really cried nor felt heartbreak for a victim. But when she put that in her diary. It felt like my throat was strangled because all one can feel is that she deserved to live and thrive.
Thank you so much for covering this case and humanizing Yingying. I went to school at UIUC and always felt deeply about her case-I could relate to feeling isolation at school. Years after her abduction there is still a memorial to her where she was taken and people still leave flowers and cards… everyone in central Illinois knows her name and feels so passionately for her. I hope she is resting in peace. She deserves it.
Thank you Theo. Tragic case; I felt like crying when I heard the part about her glasses covered with rain. Something so simple transfers into such meaning sometimes and it resonated with me.
This happened between my sophmore and junior year at UIUC and I distinctly remember when the email went out from campus police about a missing person alert. That was the summer before I would live in an apartment off campus for the first time in my life. The people that typically live there that are not students in Urbana and Champaign are possibly the kindest people I have met. My family lived only 3 hours away by car, but her family lived on the other side of the Earth. I can’t even fathom the feeling of helplessness felt by her family when they knew something was wrong. May you rest in peace, Yingying.
Those diary entries of Ying Ying left me in tears. I moved to university in a different country, by myself, also. I travelled there alone and had never been to that city, let alone country, before. I frequently got lost and relied on strangers for help and directions. Her entry about walking out of school into the rain and having no one around to talk to/ask for assistance is something I also felt. I had never heard of Ying ying’s case before today and it’s left a huge impact on me. What a beautiful, kind and intelligent soul. All she wanted to do was learn, be independent and make everyone’s lives better. There are some sick, evil people out there.
I love that you never know whether the next video is gonna be a high profile with a new angle and in depth analysis or a case you never even heard of before
Thank you for focusing on Yingying's life view and her in general. She's a stellar person by all accounts and the world is a poorer place for her absence
I loved her journal entry about the woman at the laundromat. It sounds like she understood the meaning, but took more profound meaning from it, in that she was still a “baby”, still someone with so much to learn.
I hope Yingying knew that for the older lady to call her baby was a term of endearment 🥲 she was a beautiful girl and her diary shows she also had a beautiful soul. Life can be so unfair.
A note about how they discovered his car: one U of I police officer noticed the hubcap . We might not have found the killer without him. Thank you, James Carter!
Whether it was planned or not - the chair shuffling at the beginning of the interrogation seemed like it really played into the whole make-the-suspect-feel-superior angle.
Totally. They really tried to make themselves look incapable and not serious until they hit him with the 'You do know why we brought you down here, right?' Total tone change.
When you mentioned the wife of the perp not being able to corroborate his alibi because she was with her bf and your reaction, I probably laughed more than I should have. On a more serious note, Yingying seemed to be an amazing person and unfortunately she crossed paths with the wrong person. Her diary entry made my heart heavy.
I’m also on Fetlife, which is a kink version of Facebook. And yes, there are a many number of creeps and weirdos on there. Comes with the “come one, come all” community.
That was funny, I laughed and felt like it wasn't appropriate but humor is humor. As for the tragic story of Yingying.. I just wish she was wiser and refused that ride from him. I would never, ever, get into a car with a man I didn't know well and trust completely. I just don't understand why she chose to do that when there are always other options. Even if a man in a car pointed a gun at me and said get in, I would run and risk taking a bullet. Chances he would draw attention by firing a gun are very slim. He would bolt and look for a more willing victim.
in the wire audio recording Brendt's ex-gf asks "i wonder what her name means.." the name Yingying means "glimmer." and that is exactly what she was. she was a glimmer of light, a glimmer of hope, bright and beautiful like the glimmer from a candlelight. she was here for a glimmer of a moment, and then she was gone, because this asshole decided to snuff out that light. tragic.
I prefer the videos where the confession/interrogation is paused with added info given from you. The interrogations are much more interesting that way since they have been previously released and been seen before by many true crime buffs. Just a suggestion! Love your content. ❤
Imagine how frustrating it would be to be these officers. They KNOW he’s the killer, they KNOW he’s lying, they KNOW they need to get as much info out of him as possible before he lawyers up, yet he’s lying to you like crazy. You just want to reach across the table and beat him to death.
But isn't it great that he was so stupid to not immediately keep his mouth shut and tell them he wanted a lawyer. That would be much more frustrating. He buried himself each time he opened his stupid mouth. But yeah, I'd want to totally beat the shit out of him because he's a sick monster.
Dreading, can you please do a video on the Todd Kendhammer case? He killed his wife in a rage on the side of the road and tried to blame it on a pipe coming through the windshield and striking her. It is fascinating on many levels: a seemingly loving husband losing it, a hidden controlling personality, an amazing interrogation that features the most ludicrously bad lying to anyone with common sense, and a family that stood by Todd contrary to all evidence. His cross examination was also the most devastating I have ever seen. I think this case would be a good fit for your program.
Seconded, I couldn’t believe it when I first heard the story. He really tried to make it seem like she got impaled by a pipe. His 911 call was textbook bad acting.
Please, let’s make sure her life is not defined by the actions of this horrible man. She is so much more than what happened to her. Let’s remember the amazing young woman she was ❤
The diary entry…whew that got me right in the heart. I had lots of Asian friends growing up and they always said that they loved it when my mom would call them ‘honey,’ or ‘baby’ etc because they said it made them feel secure and warm. That woman gave Yingying so much love and comfort. Bless her, and bless Yingying. She was too good for the world .
This isnt my first exposure to this case - there was always something about it that gave me some feeling of sadness. The diary entry you put at the beginning was extremely impactful. It really broke my heart when she said "I put my faith in people to find the way" only for her to be ripped away from her family and this earth so prematurely. I'm glad the detectives were on their A game for this case, and that they used the technology they had to connect the dots of that car being associated with the man who killed her. Rest in Paradise, Yingying, I am so sorry this monster ripped you away before you has the chance to fulfill your goals and dreams. I'm not sure if she was a buddhist, but if she was, I hope she has a wonderful reincarnated life.
This case was so hard for me to watch since I teach English as a Second language at a university. I've always given all of my students huge props. It takes so much courage and strength to go to another country across the world where the dominate language is not your native one. Many of my students do not feel confident in their English, especially outside of the classroom, so that diary entry was tough to hear for many of those reasons. Yingying sounds like she was an amazing person with a bright future. I admire her love of learning.
Teared up when it got to the diary entry, especially knowing how this story goes. I find this content important but man can it burn the heart. Good work as always dreading.
It’s so wild how she interpreted what the kind woman said, calling her a baby, as her basically being a baby. It evokes such a feeling of helplessness like your fate is not even in your own hands……and then this evil monster does this to her! It is so sad to feel that way and then to have your deepest fears confirmed in the worst way. Bless your beautiful soul, Yingying. You didn’t deserve this at all 😞
While she did feel like a bit of a baby in a new country she is also kind of joking. She has a PhD and was very intelligent. But she probably never read about Ted Bundy like that other woman who refused to get in his car. So ahe was tricked by a police badge. Women shouldn't have to fear a police badge. Women should also know police come in pairs in an attempt to stop them exploiting their status. So any single man with a police badge talking to you is suss.
@@trueCrimeGuruYes As someone who has studied abroad in a foreign country when my language skills were still underdeveloped, I absolutely agree with you. You often feel a little bit infantilized as you try to acclimate yourself to surroundings and tasks that are so much easier in your mother tongue. Great point on the police… I’ll need to remember that one.
She sounded like such a wonderful person. Honestly so heartbreaking. Thank you for covering this case. Your detailed and respectful style of coverage is much appreciated.
This story was already heartbreaking when I first heard it, but recently I moved from US to UK by myself, and have gained a deeper sense of the sheer vulnerability she must have felt. Heck, I speak the same primary language at least. The fact that there are garbage human beings who would take such disgusting advantage of the vulnerable never ceases to horrify me. RIP Yingying
I completely agree. I moved from the US to the UK two years ago and not long after I had lost my phone at a Co-op. My cellphone was the only way I could contact my family back home, and upon realizing it was gone, I almost broke down then and there. The utter sense of hopelessness and disconnect from everyone you miss and love is terrifying. That "man" is an utter monster.
😔😔😔 this case hits so close. Since it happened in my state. She did not deserve to cross paths with this monster. A beautiful soul. May she be resting in peace. ❤🕊️
I believe jcs covered this story before, and having seen the story before I was hesitant to click on this video- but I'm only a few minutes in and I'm very glad I did. the way you give respect to the victims and emphasize how their lives were and why they didn't deserve to die is admirable. in this genre it's so easy to reduce people to numbers and statistics and we end up losing our empathy and disrespecting victims in the process
JCS version was wayyyy better. He didn’t waste time going on and on about how the victim got lost in her own broom closet and needed a hug because of light drizzle in the forecast. My Lord…All the content right now is such garbage… I think I am going to go watch a JCS video for the billionth time…that stuff is GOLD.
@@ksagstertohi6156 wow thats so sad its not wasting time to cover the victim. Shes not just this guys victim she was a person with thoughts and feelings and was all alone in another country and because of that vulnerability she was taken advantage of. that's the whole point. How disrespectful of you to speak of someone who passed in such a way.
What's the purpose of consuming true crime content if you're this opposed to humanizing the victims; do you have a fetish for violence and murder? You should stick to beating off on crime scene and autopsy images since you obviously don't give a shit about the victims.
I love the beginning. Her diary entry shows what kind of person she was. I’ve seen this case so much and just get so sad thinking of her getting into the car with this monster thinking he was helping her. Her parents must have just been so scared. They are really amazing people.
She was obviously smart and her writing was so touching, it made me think of cold and wet days where the wind turned my umbrella inside out and I felt frustrated and annoyed, looking at the cars passing as I walked or waited on public transport, wishing I could be warm and dry inside one. The way she spoke of her rescuer at the laundromat too, she was a sweet soul. I wish she had gotten to see that kindness from strangers is not just in China. Rest in peace beautiful, you did not deserve what happened to you 💔
Yes the way she described that experience was so realistic. I wish I could write like that. It made me feel like I was there with her. What a wonderful mind she had.
I was a study abroad student at 18, and even without a language barrier it is so jarring and difficult to navigate an entirely different culture and country. Her diary entry brought me to tears, I can’t imagine how isolated she felt. What a strong and determined young woman.
Remember watching this interrogation on JCS. Brent kind of strikes me as a former ‘gifted and talented’ kid who never really dealt with failure or heard the word no. Then his life sort of plateaus (no job, fractured marriage, porn addiction, general apathy) and he’s not in control so he seeks out a victim to gain that control back
That's where I saw the original interrogation! I was losing my mind trying to remember where I heard this case. Thank you. But, yes. I agree with your assessment of him. He's a pos. Rest in peace Yingying
@@almasnizar9937 they have a patreon with a mountain of content in addition to their channel. It's all just as good as what's on youtube, and when I say mountain I mean A LOT. They don't update anymore but it is 100% worth the dollar lol. That one they just released with the college lacrosse bro who smashed his gfs head until he killed her I saw a year ago it was old.
Rest in Peace to a kind and intelligent young woman. Also that little, "Jesus Christ" that you let out when explaining the wife's boyfriend made my day.
The irony that the most beautiful minds in our society are always the ones that get taken from us like this because of their beautiful mind unable to think anyone could do such evil is such a sad statement on our society. This is why when people say, "living like animals" in a derogatory way, I remind them animals don't kill for malice, for power, to rob, rape etc. They only kill out of need and defence. 😢🕯️ *Sleep peacefully sweet child, although your time here was short, you have definitely left your mark on many hearts* 🕯️💔
This is hands down my favorite channel. My husband and I cast your videos to our TV and watch together on the weekends. But right now...I'm at work. So sorry to my husband...I'm not waiting to watch.
I’ve been here since the beginning, and I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your channel grow to what it has….. You’re always so respectful of the victims and their families and you deserve all the success the 2023 is bringing your way ❤
So many of these cases are heartbreaking but hearing her own words just made it more so. We got a glimpse of who she was as a person. And her killer is just a truly cold monster, I don't believe for a second he didn't fully plan out the murder. If it hadn't been Yingying, it would have been some other woman.
Dreading made Yingying relatable. Her diary entry resonates in us because we all have the need for kindness and human interaction. Her hopefulness for kindness is like an innocent child who doesn't know the evilness in the world.
I haven't cried while watching a case like this until Ying Ying. She was such a bright soul, so invested and interested in so many things. She was so hardworking, doing anything she could to make it in a foreign country. Something we all admire. So so sad this happened to someone like her. May she Rest in Heaven.
She was so intelligent, yet she got into a car with some strange man. I don't understand what would make her think that was a good idea. It's the last thing I would do.
That diary entry was so touching. this poor girl just needed a helping hand. I think we’re all been there at some point sadly she met death on the road the fortunes seem to change with the wind. It’s like anybody could be a missed bus away from tragedy. This world is heavy.
You humanized and honored Yingying so well in the intro that I feel unable to keep watching what has happened to her right now. You are a master of your craft
i'd already seen more than one video about yingying's case, so i was pretty familiar with the details of it. i didn't, however, know about the diary entry at all, and that part of the video blindsided me. I'm genuinely tearing up over it. i really appreciate the work you do to humanize the victims, as it's sometimes easy to forget that they werent _just_ victims. they were people, first and foremost
My heart BROKE. I just started tearing up. Wow. She took the world with open arms and someone took her away from the possibility and I hate them. I hate him.
Yingying strikes me as the type of person you can talk to for hours and have the most fun with. She just looks like a humorous and awesome person. What a loss. I feel so sorry for her and her family and friends.
Thank you for covering Yingying. I didn't know her story, even though I knew of this care. What a horrible loss for her family, and the world in general. She is obviously an intelligent, driven young woman. What a shame.
Thank you dreading! The build up part of the interrogation where the FBI agent realises his chair is broken is intriguing....and then the fact that he said it was late and therefore in other offices so would need him to sign .....really makes the anticipation incredible here--- the pauses and silences in that room make for incredible viewing......its like we are actually there in the room with them all! Really appreciate how you allow this build up in your editing-- most would cut away and speed it up-- but in NOT doing that-- you have allowed the viewer a rare insight into the whole pre-drama and how the agents would make him so relaxed right from the off! SUPERB doc as always-- thank you and keep up the great work! East London UK LOVE sir!
I knew the story of the despicable criminal and had seen it told countless times on UA-cam. But you turned the victim into such a wonderful human being with your touching vocalization of her journals and artful cinematography. Well done Dreading.
That diary entry really hit hard!, how vulnerable she felt in a new country. My heart broke for her. Yingying was (always will be) a beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her. She was truly gifted and talented academically with a wonderful personality. She faced some difficulties settling in but I have no doubt she would have flourished once she was settled. The amazing achievements she succeeded in doing in her short life are a testament to herself and her family. She did and achieved more than that disgusting murderer could have ever done!!. RIP Yingying 🙏🏻💜
Slightly off topic: though I usually find side commentary annoying and distracting, I never find that the case with your videos. It just somehow fits! Thanks so much for the work you do. I always enjoy your videos
I have a suggestion, though I know it isn’t something that will be able to be immediately done, as it is a very new case. My mom was murdered by my step-father on December 12th, 2022. It’s important to me that people eventually understand this case for many reasons. I want people to know what kind of person both he and my mom really were, and I think this case is important because despite the culprit being so obvious, the history behind it is atypical. My step-father was a child abuser, and my mom was someone who easily countered him the few times he attempted abusing her. That’s an over-simplification, but anyway, below is a link to the little coverage it’s gotten so far. If you would like more background information that hasn’t been explored yet, I will also ask my brothers if they’re willing to communicate about it with you. The information exchange may be slow, as we are still very devastated by the loss of our mom, and for some of us, a father as well, in a sense, but I do hope that when a conviction is reached, this case receives awareness. I keep my identity hidden online, hence the Chinese name, but do not mind giving up a fraction of privacy for this, and I really do enjoy the way you break down cases and the psychology behind them. If you aren’t interested, no pressure, I just really enjoy the detail you go into about certain things. www.wbir.com/amp/article/news/local/shooting-oliver-springs-anderson-county/51-62824616-60f4-4c4a-bcb6-d943ed786312
It’s always so horrifying and heartbreaking to hear a young vulnerable person being taken advantage of like this. Rip Yingying, u sounded like such a good person. 💙
I understand what she means when she says she’s used to people in her country being helpful on the street to strangers. havnt been to China but when in Singapore, if you’re looking at a sign or subway map for longer than a few seconds someone will come up to you and ask if you need help. It’s so unusual as not used to that happening here in Australia.
i live in champaign, went to uiuc for 4 years, and my brother was here before me. Yingying went missing during my brother’s sophomore year. it was horrifying to hear about, i was so anxious about her safety and the safety of my brother. i love uiuc, it is beautiful and brings so many together. but, it is so big and takes a lot to get used to your routes. i still miss buses because i’m on the wrong side of the street, and i always had to pull my compass out to check the corners i was on. it is so common, and i don’t know one person i’ve met here that hasn’t taken the wrong bus, gotten lost, or anything of the sort. this case was solved during my sophomore year. while it was horrifying, i hope she has peace now. thank you for focusing so much on her life and how she was, i haven’t found any videos that have done the same. she was a beautiful soul just trying to connect and learn the world. there is no way to keep yourself safe from monsters. i can’t imagine how her parents felt hearing about their daughter’s disappearance, especially given the anger felt by many towards the university’s failure to protect their students and punish those that bring them harm. may Yingying rest in peace
ur commentary is truly the bees knees. usually i want to edit out everything but the commentary but then i wouldn’t know what was happening. i’ll keep saying over and over on dif vids, and an email now, ty, y’all have helped me spot more than one predator and stay safe.
I didn't realize how much I missed your videos until I looked for one (in desperation) last night to no avail. But then logging into You Tube today, I realized my prayers had been answered! Thanks for making my day!
Just found this channel earlier today. I attend U of I and attended when this happened. We had search parties as soon as news got out, there was so much talk but it was during the summer when campus was way less populated. I remember going to my Physics discussion almost 8 years ago and getting the news that it was a TA for that department. Absolutely heartbreaking. My heart goes out to her family even now. She never deserved what happened to her.
I was about 7 when it happened and live/lived in the city (I live really close to campus). I remember feeling so disappointed and upset with the killer more than anything 😕
Yingying sounds like an exceptional person and a beautiful soul. Thank you for covering this, Dreading team. You are always respectful and put the victim at the forefront. It makes me so sad how lonely Yingying felt, and ultimately, the horrible way her life was stolen from her so quickly by a monster in human skin. I am happy that she was met with some kindness in US. But we still need more selfless people willing to help just because they are good people and know it's the right thing to do.
I hate the fact that Yingying was already struggling and fearful being in a foreign country and then this monster came along. She deserved so much better.
He clearly should’ve been institutionalized when he was speaking with the therapist.
This comment makes me think I'm not going to like this video...
@@ThugShakers4Christ 🪤 anyone falling for that one guys? Lol
😢
I know 😞 he was evil and disgusting
The kindness of the woman in the laundromat brought me to tears, as well as the fact that the endearing term "baby" took on a double meaning for Ying Ying, as she felt like she was like a newborn living in a new country. Rest in peace Ying Ying.
i got choked up too, and esp. over her interpretation of the word baby.
Women are beautiful and loving specimens. It’s the dangers of man we need to fear
@@CJLOVE23 I am a woman and find this sweeping brushstroke offensive. Plenty are swindled and hurt by women. Sure, psychopaths like he are likely to 'hunt in a way that fits their physical strength. That's a very specific thing.
@@CJLOVE23 some not all "Men" it's not even a gender danger thing it's just people in general
@@CJLOVE23 cough *straight men*
Her parents setting up the fund for foreign students families in the event of disaster is phenomenal. Can you imagine your daughter going missing and not being able to afford to fly abroad to help the search? That made me cry, even in their grief they wanted to ensure no one has to experience that
Omg I couldn't IMAGINE
It sure is!
🥺🥺
Yeah they're very strong, when it comes to horrendous stuff happening that we couldn't imagine doing not least right away
It is absolutely horrid for anyone to lose a child much less like THIS. if anyone hurt my son, it would be game over for them AND me. Id do things so terrible no one would survive it. That would be the only way id ever smile again. Truly.
I've heard this case many times but Yingying always seemed like a side character in the story. Thank you for making her the main character and giving her a voice.
This is the number one thing I appreciate about this channel. It never lets the audience forget the victim at the center of these crimes.
@@fergieferg9192 completely agreed. This channel and Dave lemonade are the few that really respect the victims
"This is Monsters" also does a great job respecting the victims above all else, while adding unknown details in a succinct presentation
@@Ji99i3 Dave’s lemonade makes me cry with his final thoughts lol
@@lou5678 trust me , me too.
I know it's a low bar but it's a relief to see a case where the local PD takes a missing person report seriously from the get-go, and reaches out to the FBI for help rather than stubbornly trying to manage alone.
Rest in Peace, Yingying 💖
It was amazing how quickly they responded, and didn't pull that "she's a college student, probably drunk and picked up a guy". Also, the Asian community really made sure this was taken seriously, and banded together immediately, as did the college community. This school is very well known across international circles. Politics too played a big role, and the future of a continued strong pipeline of foreign students. This was such a tragic, and senseless crime.
It's because it's a Chinese national. Something like this could lead to diplomatic issues.
Foreign students missing generally get attention for a number of reasons. Also in general most everyone in their host countries become alarmed when they go missing. There is this united feeling of responsibility from the public for their safety during their temporary stay - which clearly this ass did not feel.
Ahh I didn't think about the foreign national part, of course the FBI would be more likely to get involved when it could lead to a diplomatic incident. I'm sure it also really helps when a local community is actively involved & vocal as the local Asian community was here.
As an added question, I'm not American but is it correct that a missing person case is an FBI matter but a known homicide isn't?
If so, I do get it as a missing person case has more urgency to retrieve the victim unharmed if at all possible, and it's more likely to involve a larger geographical area, but I also feel like a murder should receive the same level of help as a suspected murder/missing person, to ensure the perpetrator is brought to justice..
I could have that completely wrong though!
Agreed
“Wasn’t his fault because he was depressed and into BDSM” wow. His lawyers literally just gave up right away. That’s the weakest excuse for anything I’ve ever heard.
Honestly if I heard that I’d assume his lawyer wanted him to go to prison. 👍
They probably didn’t have much they could do because he literally confessed via wire to his girlfriend. He dug himself a deep hole.
@@belun6462 Everyone wanted him to go to prison. He was a creep before this happened, and everyone knew there was no way he was innocent.
I mean to be fair, not even Saul could save this guy's ass.
right like of course that piece of shit demanded a trial, even tho everyone knew he was guilty. raging narcissist psychopath.
When a black woman calls you “baby”, we say it as a term of endearment!!! Wish that sweet girl knew that the woman wasn’t calling her baby as in helpless or anything like that! Nope that woman really liked you and thought of you as a sweet baby ❤
on the other part of her diary she appreciate the woman for her kindness, its pretty certain she knows that its a term of endearment and she was a nice person.
but its also serve as double-entendre because of her insecurities in a different country.
pretty sure she understood that... also it's the older ladies
1000%
❤️❤️❤️❤️
I said the same thing poor girl 😢
“I am still a baby!” has me bawling. This case is so desperately sad. She deserved a long life.
Cries for a single person.
Rolls eyes at the death of millions.
The modern world is weird.
@@mjanny6330 Your response here is “weird” and out of place. Remember where you are. The comment section of a video about Yingying Zhang. While you’re here it won’t be unusual to see posts expressing emotions about her tragic death.
How is my comment any reflection on the “modern world”? It isn’t. A person is capable of feeling empathy for more than one thing at a time.
How would it have been constructive for me to come to this comment section and remind everyone people are dying all over the world? It wouldn’t have been, because this video is about YingYing Zhang.
Saying nothing at all is an option that is permanently available to you, and one that I urge you to more frequently consider.
@@mjanny6330 ur weird wtf
@M Janny love how you just treat her empathy for this girl as disingenuous while putting literal nonsense she didn't state right under it as if she's making some kind of hypocritical statement here. Nobody said anything about rolling their eyes or not feeling sorry for others. The video is case-specific. Stop being fucking weird
@@mjanny6330 What an absolutely ridiculous comment.
"I'm still a baby!" I'm sobbing at this. She was a kid, she was scared in a new country and so welcoming to help and kindness from others, only to be horrifically taken advantage of. This world is so dark.
I think she was half joking about being a baby.
Yes it is a scary world sometimes. I've lived alone in many countries and never would I accept a ride from a man I didn't know and trust. There are taxis, ubers, cops, hotels, and churches. Pick one and ask them to take you there or get directions from them to find your way. Get there somehow, but never with some strange man.
Not at all. She felt ulimate helplesness. babies are helpless. Touch grass
@@anthoonius_gabagoolius what does this dumbass comment even mean
I'm bawling at that.😭😭
The fact that 600 Chinese students volunteered to find her is heartwarming. The rest of it is entirely heartbreaking.
3 minutes in and I'm crying. Her diary entry of relying on the kindness of strangers to help her find her way hit a little too close to home... That human trash can took away a sweet, innocent soul. So tragic. Thank you for the deep dive, as always!
No one around to ask for help on a rainy day. Everyone's just in their cars sequestered off from anyone else. And how her life ended, to top it all off. This is everything I hate about this country. Makes me want to move away.
@@Manticorn Men prey on innocent women everywhere. Has nothing to do with the country, it’s all about sick minds.
“I’m still a baby!” 😭
@@Manticorn How about make it better instead of running away?
@@Manticorn it happens everywhere though.
I've seen this case but never has anyone delved into who Yingying was so much. What an interesting and thoughtful young scholar. I was really moved by the number of people immediately worried when she went missing, as well as her beautiful diary entry. Why did it have to be THIS asshole to stop for her that day?! Such a great loss for two different countries. RIP bright beauty!
Was thinking the same thing. Speaks volumes she was able to have such an impact on her roommates and friends. Glad the police got right on it. I’ve seen this case before but didn’t know how detailed she was in her diary and with her routine. I hate this nasty loser lowlife
Truly. It's like he murdered an angel.
Same, I've always known she was deeply loved from how her family and friends reacted to her disappearance, but I've never really had a look from her perspective before. So humanizing and makes it all feel even sadder and more injust :(
I agree. I never saw her diary entries before. She was struggling to connect to others in the US and one of the first people she trusted did this. Awful
@@vivelajonny Most would prefer YingYing to be alive over a video. Her life was more valuable than any videos made about her murder, regardless of how well made they are.
I'll never forget the recorded convo his gf secretly took. Where he said YhingYhing fought and fought and wouldn't give up. And how she tried so hard and long to get away it was "almost supernatural" he stated. Disgusting freak.
So sickening. I hear about monsters like this freak and have very unkind thoughts about the horrible fates I wish for them. Seriously, why do they go undetected long enough to do harm to others? They should have been removed from society before getting the opportunity.
Her name is literally right there in the title and yet you still manage to fuck it up. Nice.
@Amaria Jade and women
@@danperlman3185 not talking about that right now.
@@danperlman3185 🤡
if only that bus had waited a few seconds to let her get on; i know they have to follow a strict schedule, and there's no way the driver knew that anything horrible would happen to yingying, but it really makes you think about how the smallest changes could've had such a huge impact, in retrospect
The bus driver must have felt horrible. I feel like most of us who have had to take buses regularly in the US know they aren't reliable and schedule info can be confusing or incorrect, but she hadn't been here long. She trusted maps to be right about what side of the street it was on... why can't we even get the basics right??
Her diary entry about how the cars must be so warm in the rain hurt. Our car culture is so isolating.
If buses come once every ten or fifteen minutes I totally understand the drivers who don't stop for stragglers. But there are a lot of places in the US where due to budget constraints buses only come once every hour and you are kinda fucked if you miss that one bus. I totally understand on a visceral level how desperate you feel when you miss that bus because the driver saw you running and said "nah"--that's been me before.
They don't stop on purpose when person is on otherwise of street. People run across road without looking and get hit. I believe this was the case here.
The bus driver needed therapy and is very guilty about what happened. The multiple caseworkers and psychologists at the university that literally had this guy walk into their office and say "I fantasize about killing people and have a kill kit" did not need therapy or really feel any guilt.
I live in Oregon and buses do not stop and wait for people for the reason that a couple times it has caused people to die because they will run for the bus and then get hit by a car because they're not paying attention and for some reason they think catching and making this one bus is so important they put all safety and care to the wind. So if you are not at the bus stop when the bus comes you're going to have to wait 15 minutes for the next one and although that sucks I completely understand it.
Thank you for showing the excerpt from her diary and humanizing Ying Ying. She was a beautiful, sweet soul who reminded me very much of many of my former students back in China - smart, hardworking, with big dreams for a better future. What she has gone through in her last moments makes me shiver. Rest in peace, dear Ying Ying.
I’m assuming all your former students were homogenous bots, given one person can remind u of so many others? 🤔
@@vp922 settle down liberal
@Le Supway liberal? What is "liberal" about that statement? Calm down conservative
Liberals tend to be more worldly and empathetic
The diary excerpt broke my heart, she felt so lonely in a foreign country
@@JF-cn3cz look at V P's comment, their taking the opportunity to get triggered about something they made up in their head.. so pc they're coming off as sociopathic, like leftists tend to do.
Crying at the diary entry. Yingying sounds like an amazing person. Her passion for learning is inspiring. Rest in peace angel ❤
Me too!! I was instantly angry and upset that such a beautiful soul was taken!
I couldn’t stop crying either! As an immigrant myself and someone who came to this country all by myself I felt every word that she wrote in my soul. Literally broke my heart.
Did you really cry over a stranger on UA-cam ?
@@smartyjonez5470 Yes because I care about other people
@@smartyjonez5470 I think you lack empathy pal...
"i am still a baby" from her diary breaks my heart. she had so much ahead of her. rest in peace yingying.
That piece from her diary literally made me tear up because of how much I could relate to the part about finding a kind soul in a storm. I'm an RN and had to take a moment in a hallway outside a patient's room to compose myself. All of a sudden I felt someone's arms around me, and an African American woman (a patient's family member I think) rocked me for a second and kept repeating "You're alright baby" AND WHEN I TELL YOU I DISSOLVED INTO A PUDDLE OF HUMAN EMOTION OH MY GOD. I really did feel like an infant... and that reflection in her diary brought me right back there.
I hope, at least once in a my life, I can hold someone and say "You're alright baby" and have them believe me - even if just for that moment.
Aww ❤
What an amazing story. Brought a tear to my eye
Wow! ❤️
Crybaby.
Thank you, darling, you just did!
As a woman living alone in Japan, where English isn’t widely spoken, this case hits extra hard. You really just want to assume the best in everyone and that people will help you out. For the most part they are and they do, as Ying Ying even says in her diary; you are like a baby trying to figure everything out, and people do tend to be kind. But you have to be so careful who you trust, especially men. Poor girl picked the wrong person to trust.
I hate to say it, but my no. 1 piece of advice (and from others who’ve been in my situation) for women living abroad and alone is only trust other women if you’re relying on strangers for help. Too many men will take advantage of women on their own.
yea in the U.S. you pretty much really cant trust anybody. it sucks because in some areas people are so wary of each other you cant even ask someone what time it is.
I have an American friend that's been living in Japan for 8yrs and she hasn't made a single friend yet. She does well enough to get around & live life but no invites to social events/meals etc. It seems to be a difficult society to connect with others. Unless you're family, people keep their distance for the most part, esp from foreigners. Anecdotal I know, but I've heard of similar experiences generally speaking. My son just returned from Tokyo after a 2mo visit & the language barrier was difficult. Most countries speak English as a 2nd/3rd language making it easier to navigate
You sound like a man hater to me
@@gristamshackleford2102I'm sorry that you have that experience of the U.S., so many places are full of kind, selfless people. In a small town, I would bet that 60% of people would give me the shirt off their back even if they didn't know me.
@@reaganjaegan well i live in CT new england is a very snobby area. there are alot of rich judgemental people. i also used to live in southern CA where there was alot of crime and con artists so nobody trusted anybody. i have visited the southern states and yea, your right there are alot of good folks out there.
One of the saddest parts of this story to me is that she must have been relieved and happy when he picked her up and the moment she realized he wasn't there to help man it breaks my heart
Seriously, absolutely horrible. I can’t imagine the terror she endured.
Prob not relieved and happy, wasn't he impersonating a cop? She was prob more likely concerned that she was in legal trouble, and extremely vulnerable to such scams, which makes this story all the more sad and disgusting
and that she could do nothing at that point. All of these crime stories are tragic, but some, like this one, have an extra layer of terror/horror that are unfathomable.
It is sad, but I live alone in a foreign country and hardly anyone speaks English here. I wouldn't accept a ride from a stranger in my own country (the US) and that goes for any country I happen to be in. If I feel lost or concerned about my safety, I take the first taxi or call uber. And if I temporarily had no common sense I would never get in a car with a man. A woman, perhaps. If she had children or a baby.
@@cantfindmykeys well, women are often used as "bait" and some of the most tragic cases involved a female gaining the trust of a victim. This murderer presented a police badge to the victim - she thought he was law enforcement.
the diary entry really shows how scared she must’ve been. she had only just had some faith restored in the kindness of strangers only to have it ripped away again.
you’re a good man, theodore mcdreading. never stop.
Lol Theodore McDreading, very cute
I was literally about to comment this. The nice lady gave her a bit of hope and optimism to only encounter this monster soon after. It’s so sad
Because the 1st was a woman, and the 2nd A MAN. Say it w me: DON'T TRUST MEN
@@randomname9709 tell that to ted bundy, richard ramirez, joseph james deangelo, david berkowitz, david parker ray, roy norris, lawrence bittaker, john robinson, paul bernardo, david birnie, bruce pardo, daniel wozniak, john christie, arthur shawcross, david koresh, edmund kemper, ed gein, blake leibel, grant amato, scott peterson, chris coleman, chris watts, christopher lee, issei sagawa, lyndon mcleod, elliot roger, joji obara, jake davison, alek minassian, donald gaskins, jim jones, anthony todt, gary heidnik, charles manson, marilyn manson, woody allen, harvey weinstein, bob weinstein, tommy mottola, larry nassar, R kelly, josh duggar, chris brown, charlie sheen, elvis presley, ike turner, nic cage, shia labeouf, mark salling, ian watkins, sylvester stallone, nick carter, brock turner, roy moore, dan schneider, john K, danny masterson, bill cosby, roman polanski, hugh hefner, gary glitter, vincent margera, frederick coe, richard gillmore, daniel holtzclaw, paul ogorzow, george joseph cvek, jimmy savile, gerald gallego, richard speck, robert garrow, fred west, christopher wilder, shlomo haliva, peter tobin, melvin carter, robert hansen, eddie mosley, clarence alligood, billy milligan, todd hodne, bobby joe long, ronnie shelton, randy comeaux, richard allen minsky............i could go on. -and that's just the guys documented in english!!!!!-
@@asmokeus well spoken, well said.
For anyone interested, I just donated to Yingying’s fund and it was very simple and easy. The minimum donation is $5 and you can pay by card. Thank you for sharing her case ❤
Bless u❤
Thx 4 sharing about the fund! I will check it out!
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LINK ?
Her diary entry shows how vulnerable she was feeling......talking about her usual Faith in people was wavering here and she felt afraid......then her Faith was being restored by a random kind woman in the laundromat....I have seen this Interrogation before and felt SO BAD for Yingying.....but this story-telling has brought me to tears.....the World she loved so much betrayed her by the evil heart of this true Monster
@Donna's morning stool sample are you a turd ? Oh right you are so nevermind
@@cjpierrot It doesn't matter. You're right. Don't worry about comments like that.
This one made me really sad. The diary hearing how she perceived the way black women especially older black women talk and her genuinely cherishing the pet names idk it was so sweet idk why I started crying. She seemed like such a pure soul. 🥺🙁
Exactly, how she recalled being called baby by the woman, I can almost picture this lady
@@missingmimic yes exactly she was so relieved too im glad she was able to meet someone who made her feel safe one last time :(
Yes my thoughts exactly. That was so sweet, this is why you should be kind to others because sometimes it's just the small things that get people through the day. That sweet girl was an asset to our country while she was here. My heart breaks for her in her last moments and for her family. Those interrogators did an excellent job too backing him into a corner.
If you can choose to be anything in this life, choose kindness
It’s so heartbreaking that one day she had a localization problem, felt sad, isolated and powerless, only to unexpectedly be helped by a total stranger and feel that she can trust on others regardless of feeling the “strange in a strange land” - And then there was another day, and a similar situation, and another stranger “offered a helping hand”, but this time things happened terrifyingly different.
The circle of emotional backlash from a situation repeating, to once again a promise of hope, to the utter betrayal and torment.
It drives me up the walls. She was failed by.
At least it’s notable that, even struggling with what she struggled, she was so important to so many people that within hours of her disappearance folks from two countries mobilized in mass with such force in her search.
I am also a Chinese student studying in the US, and my grandpa is from the same area Yingying is from in China. This story broke my heart. I share the same hope and same loneliness with Yingying. I hope she can rest in peace.
🙏
I hope you find your time in the U.S. school a wonderful part of your life with many friends and a good support system. I myself live in Canada in case you are wondering why I worded my comment this way. Take care and stay safe. 🙂💜🙏🏼🙏🏼🇨🇦
It’s such a brave thing to do! Stay safe and find joy whenever, wherever you can. Good luck to you x
Best of luck to you, I hope you find good people here, most are good people down inside
Wishing all the best for you and your studies! I pray you get a good circle around you to help with the loneliness..🙏
Hey dreading! I just want to say that I REALLY APPRECIATE you adding who Ying Ying was, all her hard work, the type of person she was and giving us a glimpse of her. Not just some victim who had bad stuff happen to her. She seemed like a truly wonderful person.
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
the fact he said he would drive around looking for potential victims and the councillor didn't report it is MIND BLOWING
EXACTLY…. Literally how? Like what else would you report?
I hope the counselor was fired and had their credentials taken away!
Yeah pretty sure that's THE definition of a situation that would lead to harming others, if ever there was one
That counselor could have prevented any of this from happening. Really sad.
you can't unless its an immediate threat to life and if board has no direct knowledge that the dude is a murderer youll lose your license. especially if its a student is under immense pressure
as a UIUC alumni, Zhang Yingying's story will always be one that I remember. UIUC has a very high population of international students from all over the world, and it is so heartbreaking that someone took advantage of her vulnerability as an international student in such a horrible way. I wish so desperately that they had been able to recover her remains for her family. The UIUC community will never let your story be forgotten, Yingying. You deserved so much better.
They have a huge Asian student housing area haven't they?
@@jd32k it’s very huge! a lot of my first friends moving into the dorms were majority asian, especially ISR because they are open in the summer for students who are international. but overall, huge asian student body!
Literally nightmare fuel. Imagine being in a foreign country, you have trouble w the language, stressed, running late, and a car pulls up to help you and he says he's a police officer and yes, of course he'll help you. 🕊️
So awful, I'd like to set this guy up with an appt with Dexter (I know that show is fake but if it was possible).
Agreed. Doing this to anyone is psychopathic. Doing this to someone who doesn’t know their surroundings and is scared, etc. that’s next level evil. So horrifying.
This was the stuff of nightmares. The things my dad warned me of when we moved to Texas when I was 4. Never talk to strangers. Never rely on the kindness of others unless you have the power to run
Look after your fellow men and women with discernment and keep men and women like that killer behind bars for perpetuated time.
I’m literally in a foreign country where I don’t speak the language rn for uni and honestly this is so scary
I've heard this murderer's story many times, but until now I have never heard Yingying's story. Once I realized what story this was, I cried because I couldn't believe every other person to tell this story was more fascinated by the pathetic, stupid life of a two-bit life-taker than the beautiful, profound, inspiring life of Yingying. The world suffered a massive loss at the hands of a complete loser. Can't even be bothered to remember his name.
This is a very good point! I too have seen this interrogation & heard the story multiple times, yet have hardly heard anything but her name and maybe one picture. What a shame. This fool does not deserve any attention.
I disagree with your negative characterization of other sources. I've also seen multiple stories and videos covering this tragedy and I agree that this video did a good job of covering Yingying's story. I also agree that some sources sensationalize and to an extent glorifies these monstrous criminals. I also agree that it would be a good thing to see covered more often.
I don't think that makes every other source bad - they typically all cover her story to varying extents, as well as her parents' plight and subsequent actions, although perhaps not as much as this piece.
You don't need to put everyone else down to complement someone.
Wow, profound is a good word for her. Her curiosity, fascination of life and how it works, and her hope/connection she had with and for people was profound indeed. The many people stepped forward when they knew she was missing made me tear up, because so many people loved her so much they caught on immediately when she was taken.
@@JungleLibrary they're saying they'd rather you focus on the victims story instead of giving the murderer more attention and screen time. He doesn't deserve to even be mentioned by name, just forgotten.
@@kai0tfooolwell if that's what he's saying then why is he praising a video that only spends 10 minutes on the victim, and the rest on the murderer?
I know this is such a simple and small thing but I love how you title the cases with the victim's names as opposed to the perpetrators. No one really does that and it shows much respect so thank you.
This Channel stands out and is all about the victims.
When she put "I am still a baby." My heart just sunk. I never really cried nor felt heartbreak for a victim. But when she put that in her diary. It felt like my throat was strangled because all one can feel is that she deserved to live and thrive.
That diary entry has thoroughly broken my heart. I'm so sorry she wasn't safe, and had to die alone and afraid in a foreign country. It's just so sad.
Thank you so much for covering this case and humanizing Yingying. I went to school at UIUC and always felt deeply about her case-I could relate to feeling isolation at school. Years after her abduction there is still a memorial to her where she was taken and people still leave flowers and cards… everyone in central Illinois knows her name and feels so passionately for her. I hope she is resting in peace. She deserves it.
Very true. We all know her name here, i am a current student and will visit her memorial when school starts up again.
So sad being remembered that way 🙏😢
It’s probably a problem in that part of the country? Where I go to school I have such an amazing community.
Thank you Theo. Tragic case; I felt like crying when I heard the part about her glasses covered with rain. Something so simple transfers into such meaning sometimes and it resonated with me.
Is Dreadings real name “Theo?”
@@BucketHeadianHagg yeh. Theodore/Theo. 👍
@@jamescairns4051 that’s cute
@@Sraken.pierdaken unlike that profile pic
@@JME1186 Unlike your attitude.
This happened between my sophmore and junior year at UIUC and I distinctly remember when the email went out from campus police about a missing person alert. That was the summer before I would live in an apartment off campus for the first time in my life.
The people that typically live there that are not students in Urbana and Champaign are possibly the kindest people I have met.
My family lived only 3 hours away by car, but her family lived on the other side of the Earth. I can’t even fathom the feeling of helplessness felt by her family when they knew something was wrong.
May you rest in peace, Yingying.
Those diary entries of Ying Ying left me in tears.
I moved to university in a different country, by myself, also.
I travelled there alone and had never been to that city, let alone country, before.
I frequently got lost and relied on strangers for help and directions.
Her entry about walking out of school into the rain and having no one around to talk to/ask for assistance is something I also felt.
I had never heard of Ying ying’s case before today and it’s left a huge impact on me.
What a beautiful, kind and intelligent soul.
All she wanted to do was learn, be independent and make everyone’s lives better.
There are some sick, evil people out there.
I love that you never know whether the next video is gonna be a high profile with a new angle and in depth analysis or a case you never even heard of before
I agree… and it’s always a welcome surprise 👍🏻
Surprise! It’s a high profile lol
@@Name-oz4lq ha I just realized which case this was
or just the same old sheet
He clearly saw her kindness as weakness. She seemed to be a beautiful soul.
Correction: He saw her VULNERABILITY as weakness.
@Donna's morning stool sample not as much as ‘cringe’.
Thank you for focusing on Yingying's life view and her in general. She's a stellar person by all accounts and the world is a poorer place for her absence
I loved her journal entry about the woman at the laundromat. It sounds like she understood the meaning, but took more profound meaning from it, in that she was still a “baby”, still someone with so much to learn.
I hope Yingying knew that for the older lady to call her baby was a term of endearment 🥲 she was a beautiful girl and her diary shows she also had a beautiful soul. Life can be so unfair.
When the cop says, "I don't think you're a bad person" your ass is going to JAIL 😭
nah the "sometimes things just get
outta control" always seals the deal for me 😭😭
A note about how they discovered his car: one U of I police officer noticed the hubcap . We might not have found the killer without him. Thank you, James Carter!
My husband actually worked with him. Great officer!!
Whether it was planned or not - the chair shuffling at the beginning of the interrogation seemed like it really played into the whole make-the-suspect-feel-superior angle.
Totally. They really tried to make themselves look incapable and not serious until they hit him with the 'You do know why we brought you down here, right?' Total tone change.
@@hmm80 that’s so interesting wow
@Hmm interesting. Any other examples?
Definitely.
Strong Columbo vibes.
When you mentioned the wife of the perp not being able to corroborate his alibi because she was with her bf and your reaction, I probably laughed more than I should have.
On a more serious note, Yingying seemed to be an amazing person and unfortunately she crossed paths with the wrong person. Her diary entry made my heart heavy.
their open relationship lol
Brendt was a loser on so many levels that this was just one more. And that oh Jesus to me was more like come on already!
@@pinkpugginz an open toxic waste dump
I’m also on Fetlife, which is a kink version of Facebook. And yes, there are a many number of creeps and weirdos on there. Comes with the “come one, come all” community.
That was funny, I laughed and felt like it wasn't appropriate but humor is humor.
As for the tragic story of Yingying.. I just wish she was wiser and refused that ride from him. I would never, ever, get into a car with a man I didn't know well and trust completely. I just don't understand why she chose to do that when there are always other options. Even if a man in a car pointed a gun at me and said get in, I would run and risk taking a bullet. Chances he would draw attention by firing a gun are very slim. He would bolt and look for a more willing victim.
in the wire audio recording Brendt's ex-gf asks "i wonder what her name means.." the name Yingying means "glimmer." and that is exactly what she was. she was a glimmer of light, a glimmer of hope, bright and beautiful like the glimmer from a candlelight. she was here for a glimmer of a moment, and then she was gone, because this asshole decided to snuff out that light. tragic.
I prefer the videos where the confession/interrogation is paused with added info given from you. The interrogations are much more interesting that way since they have been previously released and been seen before by many true crime buffs. Just a suggestion! Love your content. ❤
Imagine how frustrating it would be to be these officers. They KNOW he’s the killer, they KNOW he’s lying, they KNOW they need to get as much info out of him as possible before he lawyers up, yet he’s lying to you like crazy. You just want to reach across the table and beat him to death.
But isn't it great that he was so stupid to not immediately keep his mouth shut and tell them he wanted a lawyer. That would be much more frustrating. He buried himself each time he opened his stupid mouth. But yeah, I'd want to totally beat the shit out of him because he's a sick monster.
She’s right…ain’t nothing better than a Black Lady calling you baby 🥺❤
“No worries, baby”
RIP Yingying
This is very true
It's soothing.
Dreading, can you please do a video on the Todd Kendhammer case? He killed his wife in a rage on the side of the road and tried to blame it on a pipe coming through the windshield and striking her. It is fascinating on many levels: a seemingly loving husband losing it, a hidden controlling personality, an amazing interrogation that features the most ludicrously bad lying to anyone with common sense, and a family that stood by Todd contrary to all evidence. His cross examination was also the most devastating I have ever seen. I think this case would be a good fit for your program.
Seconded, I couldn’t believe it when I first heard the story. He really tried to make it seem like she got impaled by a pipe. His 911 call was textbook bad acting.
Yess this one!!!
I've heard of that, but not what happened after the "accident". I'd def watch that
Yes I agree, this case is so interesting, thank you for mentioning it.
This is Monsters did an hour on him
Please, let’s make sure her life is not defined by the actions of this horrible man. She is so much more than what happened to her. Let’s remember the amazing young woman she was ❤
Good call!
I 100% agree 🙏❤️
The diary entry…whew that got me right in the heart. I had lots of Asian friends growing up and they always said that they loved it when my mom would call them ‘honey,’ or ‘baby’ etc because they said it made them feel secure and warm. That woman gave Yingying so much love and comfort. Bless her, and bless Yingying. She was too good for the world .
This isnt my first exposure to this case - there was always something about it that gave me some feeling of sadness.
The diary entry you put at the beginning was extremely impactful. It really broke my heart when she said "I put my faith in people to find the way" only for her to be ripped away from her family and this earth so prematurely.
I'm glad the detectives were on their A game for this case, and that they used the technology they had to connect the dots of that car being associated with the man who killed her.
Rest in Paradise, Yingying, I am so sorry this monster ripped you away before you has the chance to fulfill your goals and dreams.
I'm not sure if she was a buddhist, but if she was, I hope she has a wonderful reincarnated life.
This case was so hard for me to watch since I teach English as a Second language at a university. I've always given all of my students huge props. It takes so much courage and strength to go to another country across the world where the dominate language is not your native one. Many of my students do not feel confident in their English, especially outside of the classroom, so that diary entry was tough to hear for many of those reasons. Yingying sounds like she was an amazing person with a bright future. I admire her love of learning.
I kept back my tears until I read your comment. Now I'm losing it.
Dominant. Dominate is a verb.
Teared up when it got to the diary entry, especially knowing how this story goes. I find this content important but man can it burn the heart. Good work as always dreading.
i teared up too. never heard that before
It’s so wild how she interpreted what the kind woman said, calling her a baby, as her basically being a baby. It evokes such a feeling of helplessness like your fate is not even in your own hands……and then this evil monster does this to her! It is so sad to feel that way and then to have your deepest fears confirmed in the worst way. Bless your beautiful soul, Yingying. You didn’t deserve this at all 😞
While she did feel like a bit of a baby in a new country she is also kind of joking. She has a PhD and was very intelligent. But she probably never read about Ted Bundy like that other woman who refused to get in his car. So ahe was tricked by a police badge. Women shouldn't have to fear a police badge. Women should also know police come in pairs in an attempt to stop them exploiting their status. So any single man with a police badge talking to you is suss.
@@trueCrimeGuruYes As someone who has studied abroad in a foreign country when my language skills were still underdeveloped, I absolutely agree with you. You often feel a little bit infantilized as you try to acclimate yourself to surroundings and tasks that are so much easier in your mother tongue. Great point on the police… I’ll need to remember that one.
She sounded like such a wonderful person. Honestly so heartbreaking. Thank you for covering this case. Your detailed and respectful style of coverage is much appreciated.
I really appreciate that you usually title your videos based on the victims over the criminals. It's the victims who deserve to be remembered
This story was already heartbreaking when I first heard it, but recently I moved from US to UK by myself, and have gained a deeper sense of the sheer vulnerability she must have felt. Heck, I speak the same primary language at least. The fact that there are garbage human beings who would take such disgusting advantage of the vulnerable never ceases to horrify me. RIP Yingying
Well he’s obviously a psychopath!
I can’t imagine how she must of felt having to ask for help and not knowing the language well. Unbelievable evil found her and took advantage of her.
I completely agree. I moved from the US to the UK two years ago and not long after I had lost my phone at a Co-op. My cellphone was the only way I could contact my family back home, and upon realizing it was gone, I almost broke down then and there. The utter sense of hopelessness and disconnect from everyone you miss and love is terrifying.
That "man" is an utter monster.
If you ever need a friend in the uk, let me know, I'll happily guide anyone who living here. 😊
😔😔😔 this case hits so close. Since it happened in my state. She did not deserve to cross paths with this monster. A beautiful soul. May she be resting in peace. ❤🕊️
I believe jcs covered this story before, and having seen the story before I was hesitant to click on this video- but I'm only a few minutes in and I'm very glad I did. the way you give respect to the victims and emphasize how their lives were and why they didn't deserve to die is admirable. in this genre it's so easy to reduce people to numbers and statistics and we end up losing our empathy and disrespecting victims in the process
JCS version was wayyyy better. He didn’t waste time going on and on about how the victim got lost in her own broom closet and needed a hug because of light drizzle in the forecast. My Lord…All the content right now is such garbage… I think I am going to go watch a JCS video for the billionth time…that stuff is GOLD.
@@ksagstertohi6156 wow thats so sad its not wasting time to cover the victim. Shes not just this guys victim she was a person with thoughts and feelings and was all alone in another country and because of that vulnerability she was taken advantage of. that's the whole point. How disrespectful of you to speak of someone who passed in such a way.
What's the purpose of consuming true crime content if you're this opposed to humanizing the victims; do you have a fetish for violence and murder? You should stick to beating off on crime scene and autopsy images since you obviously don't give a shit about the victims.
@@ksagstertohi6156how someone can have so little empathy really baffles me… shame on you. this post is very telling as to what type of human you are.
I love the beginning. Her diary entry shows what kind of person she was. I’ve seen this case so much and just get so sad thinking of her getting into the car with this monster thinking he was helping her. Her parents must have just been so scared. They are really amazing people.
She was obviously smart and her writing was so touching, it made me think of cold and wet days where the wind turned my umbrella inside out and I felt frustrated and annoyed, looking at the cars passing as I walked or waited on public transport, wishing I could be warm and dry inside one. The way she spoke of her rescuer at the laundromat too, she was a sweet soul. I wish she had gotten to see that kindness from strangers is not just in China. Rest in peace beautiful, you did not deserve what happened to you 💔
Yes the way she described that experience was so realistic. I wish I could write like that. It made me feel like I was there with her. What a wonderful mind she had.
I was a study abroad student at 18, and even without a language barrier it is so jarring and difficult to navigate an entirely different culture and country. Her diary entry brought me to tears, I can’t imagine how isolated she felt. What a strong and determined young woman.
Remember watching this interrogation on JCS. Brent kind of strikes me as a former ‘gifted and talented’ kid who never really dealt with failure or heard the word no. Then his life sort of plateaus (no job, fractured marriage, porn addiction, general apathy) and he’s not in control so he seeks out a victim to gain that control back
That's where I saw the original interrogation! I was losing my mind trying to remember where I heard this case. Thank you.
But, yes. I agree with your assessment of him. He's a pos. Rest in peace Yingying
Yes that’s where I remember this case from. Horrible, Yingying deserved so much better.
He's a narcissist. It's not about 'no' or lack of parenting. His brain is wired to never accept fault when he screws up.
wait JCS has done this interrogation? can't seem to find it on their channel
@@almasnizar9937 they have a patreon with a mountain of content in addition to their channel. It's all just as good as what's on youtube, and when I say mountain I mean A LOT. They don't update anymore but it is 100% worth the dollar lol. That one they just released with the college lacrosse bro who smashed his gfs head until he killed her I saw a year ago it was old.
Rest in Peace to a kind and intelligent young woman.
Also that little, "Jesus Christ" that you let out when explaining the wife's boyfriend made my day.
The irony that the most beautiful minds in our society are always the ones that get taken from us like this because of their beautiful mind unable to think anyone could do such evil is such a sad statement on our society. This is why when people say, "living like animals" in a derogatory way, I remind them animals don't kill for malice, for power, to rob, rape etc. They only kill out of need and defence.
😢🕯️ *Sleep peacefully sweet child, although your time here was short, you have definitely left your mark on many hearts* 🕯️💔
Aside from killer whales, cats, and wasps of course
This is hands down my favorite channel. My husband and I cast your videos to our TV and watch together on the weekends. But right now...I'm at work. So sorry to my husband...I'm not waiting to watch.
Couple goals lol
I’ve been here since the beginning, and I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your channel grow to what it has….. You’re always so respectful of the victims and their families and you deserve all the success the 2023 is bringing your way ❤
So many of these cases are heartbreaking but hearing her own words just made it more so. We got a glimpse of who she was as a person. And her killer is just a truly cold monster, I don't believe for a second he didn't fully plan out the murder. If it hadn't been Yingying, it would have been some other woman.
Dreading made Yingying relatable. Her diary entry resonates in us because we all have the need for kindness and human interaction. Her hopefulness for kindness is like an innocent child who doesn't know the evilness in the world.
Most of these cases have 2 things in common. A man did it and it was sexual.
I haven't cried while watching a case like this until Ying Ying. She was such a bright soul, so invested and interested in so many things. She was so hardworking, doing anything she could to make it in a foreign country. Something we all admire. So so sad this happened to someone like her. May she Rest in Heaven.
She was so intelligent, yet she got into a car with some strange man. I don't understand what would make her think that was a good idea. It's the last thing I would do.
That diary entry was so touching. this poor girl just needed a helping hand. I think we’re all been there at some point sadly she met death on the road the fortunes seem to change with the wind. It’s like anybody could be a missed bus away from tragedy. This world is heavy.
This is the first time I've ever heard this from the victim's perspective. I didn't even know about the diaries.
You humanized and honored Yingying so well in the intro that I feel unable to keep watching what has happened to her right now. You are a master of your craft
So sad. She seemed like a gentle person.
"Oh Jesus" when you read that his wife was away at her boyfriends" I had a small chuckle
"If you see anything suspicious, call to police"
To which that girl walked away and IMMEDIATELY called the police on him lmao
i'd already seen more than one video about yingying's case, so i was pretty familiar with the details of it. i didn't, however, know about the diary entry at all, and that part of the video blindsided me. I'm genuinely tearing up over it. i really appreciate the work you do to humanize the victims, as it's sometimes easy to forget that they werent _just_ victims. they were people, first and foremost
My heart BROKE. I just started tearing up. Wow. She took the world with open arms and someone took her away from the possibility and I hate them. I hate him.
so now you have hate in your broken heart?
@@craigime absolutely. Feeling more then one emotion at the same time isn’t rare.
Don't know why I wasn't expecting her to go missing and/or die, but it immediately hit me right in the heart
Yingying strikes me as the type of person you can talk to for hours and have the most fun with. She just looks like a humorous and awesome person. What a loss. I feel so sorry for her and her family and friends.
Thank you for covering Yingying. I didn't know her story, even though I knew of this care. What a horrible loss for her family, and the world in general. She is obviously an intelligent, driven young woman. What a shame.
Thank you dreading! The build up part of the interrogation where the FBI agent realises his chair is broken is intriguing....and then the fact that he said it was late and therefore in other offices so would need him to sign .....really makes the anticipation incredible here--- the pauses and silences in that room make for incredible viewing......its like we are actually there in the room with them all! Really appreciate how you allow this build up in your editing-- most would cut away and speed it up-- but in NOT doing that-- you have allowed the viewer a rare insight into the whole pre-drama and how the agents would make him so relaxed right from the off! SUPERB doc as always-- thank you and keep up the great work! East London UK LOVE sir!
I knew the story of the despicable criminal and had seen it told countless times on UA-cam. But you turned the victim into such a wonderful human being with your touching vocalization of her journals and artful cinematography. Well done Dreading.
Rest in Peace, Yingying.
That diary entry really hit hard!, how vulnerable she felt in a new country. My heart broke for her. Yingying was (always will be) a beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her. She was truly gifted and talented academically with a wonderful personality. She faced some difficulties settling in but I have no doubt she would have flourished once she was settled. The amazing achievements she succeeded in doing in her short life are a testament to herself and her family. She did and achieved more than that disgusting murderer could have ever done!!. RIP Yingying 🙏🏻💜
Slightly off topic: though I usually find side commentary annoying and distracting, I never find that the case with your videos. It just somehow fits! Thanks so much for the work you do. I always enjoy your videos
I have a suggestion, though I know it isn’t something that will be able to be immediately done, as it is a very new case. My mom was murdered by my step-father on December 12th, 2022. It’s important to me that people eventually understand this case for many reasons. I want people to know what kind of person both he and my mom really were, and I think this case is important because despite the culprit being so obvious, the history behind it is atypical. My step-father was a child abuser, and my mom was someone who easily countered him the few times he attempted abusing her. That’s an over-simplification, but anyway, below is a link to the little coverage it’s gotten so far. If you would like more background information that hasn’t been explored yet, I will also ask my brothers if they’re willing to communicate about it with you. The information exchange may be slow, as we are still very devastated by the loss of our mom, and for some of us, a father as well, in a sense, but I do hope that when a conviction is reached, this case receives awareness. I keep my identity hidden online, hence the Chinese name, but do not mind giving up a fraction of privacy for this, and I really do enjoy the way you break down cases and the psychology behind them. If you aren’t interested, no pressure, I just really enjoy the detail you go into about certain things.
www.wbir.com/amp/article/news/local/shooting-oliver-springs-anderson-county/51-62824616-60f4-4c4a-bcb6-d943ed786312
It’s always so horrifying and heartbreaking to hear a young vulnerable person being taken advantage of like this. Rip Yingying, u sounded like such a good person. 💙
I understand what she means when she says she’s used to people in her country being helpful on the street to strangers. havnt been to China but when in Singapore, if you’re looking at a sign or subway map for longer than a few seconds someone will come up to you and ask if you need help. It’s so unusual as not used to that happening here in Australia.
Just leaving a comment so the algorithm gods know I’m engaged and LOVE ❤ dreading’s videos! Get it together UA-cam!!
i live in champaign, went to uiuc for 4 years, and my brother was here before me. Yingying went missing during my brother’s sophomore year. it was horrifying to hear about, i was so anxious about her safety and the safety of my brother. i love uiuc, it is beautiful and brings so many together. but, it is so big and takes a lot to get used to your routes. i still miss buses because i’m on the wrong side of the street, and i always had to pull my compass out to check the corners i was on. it is so common, and i don’t know one person i’ve met here that hasn’t taken the wrong bus, gotten lost, or anything of the sort. this case was solved during my sophomore year. while it was horrifying, i hope she has peace now.
thank you for focusing so much on her life and how she was, i haven’t found any videos that have done the same. she was a beautiful soul just trying to connect and learn the world. there is no way to keep yourself safe from monsters. i can’t imagine how her parents felt hearing about their daughter’s disappearance, especially given the anger felt by many towards the university’s failure to protect their students and punish those that bring them harm.
may Yingying rest in peace
ur commentary is truly the bees knees. usually i want to edit out everything but the commentary but then i wouldn’t know what was happening. i’ll keep saying over and over on dif vids, and an email now, ty, y’all have helped me spot more than one predator and stay safe.
If only that bus driver would've just stopped to let her on when she was flagging them down.
😓😢😥😣
I didn't realize how much I missed your videos until I looked for one (in desperation) last night to no avail. But then logging into You Tube today, I realized my prayers had been answered! Thanks for making my day!
Not many cases make me cry. But this was so beyond.. 3 minutes in and she’s such a beautiful soul who did nothing but love. I hope she’s at peace.
Just found this channel earlier today. I attend U of I and attended when this happened. We had search parties as soon as news got out, there was so much talk but it was during the summer when campus was way less populated. I remember going to my Physics discussion almost 8 years ago and getting the news that it was a TA for that department.
Absolutely heartbreaking. My heart goes out to her family even now. She never deserved what happened to her.
I was about 7 when it happened and live/lived in the city (I live really close to campus). I remember feeling so disappointed and upset with the killer more than anything 😕
She was a wonderful writer. Her diary was sad but there was hope.
Yingying sounds like an exceptional person and a beautiful soul. Thank you for covering this, Dreading team.
You are always respectful and put the victim at the forefront.
It makes me so sad how lonely Yingying felt, and ultimately, the horrible way her life was stolen from her so quickly by a monster in human skin.
I am happy that she was met with some kindness in US. But we still need more selfless people willing to help just because they are good people and know it's the right thing to do.