Stanford Student, Mengyao “May” Zhou Missing Since January 20, 2007 (Update: Found Deceased)
23 year old Stanford University graduate student, Mengyao Zhou, has been missing since Saturday, January 20, 2007. Zhou was last seen at her place of residence at Stanford’s graduate-student housing complex about 10:30 AM Saturday. Zhou went to run errands and has not been seen or heard from since.
Description:
- Zhou is described as Asian
- 5 feet, 5 inches tall
- about 120 pounds
- She was driving a silver four-door 2006 Toyota Corolla with California license plate 5VFG430. (Mercury News)
She has not called or e-mailed any friends or relatives since the weekend, Bates said, noting there is no obvious reason for her disappearance.
If anyone has any information regarding the whereabouts of Zhou or her vehicle please contact Stanford police at (650) 723-9633; (650) 329-2413 after normal business hours.
UPDATE I: $25,000 reward offered for tips leading to the where abouts of Mengyao Zhou
UPDATE II: May Zhou’s body found in the trunk of her car. Police are suspecting it was a suicide; however, no official report has been made. The police reference items found in the vehicle that were consistent with suicide. One would speculate a possible bottle of pills; however, no details were provided. If so, how sad a situation that May felt the need to end her life. May she rest in peace.
The body found inside the trunk of a car at Santa Rosa Junior College this morning is that of Mengyao “May” Zhou, according to Santa Rosa police. Additionally, items found in the trunk of a car owned by the missing 23-year-old Stanford University graduate student “indicate the subject may have committed suicide,” according to Santa Rosa police Sgt. Lisa Banayat.
An autopsy is scheduled for Friday, according to the Sonoma County coroner’s office. Santa Rosa Police Lt. Ed Hemphill confirmed this morning that Zhou’s car was found about 7 a.m. (Thursday) with a body in its trunk, parked at the junior college’s planetarium parking lot. The car was towed to a undisclosed location, where her body was discovered.
UPDATE III: Autopsy reveals high level of sedative
BENADRYL-LIKE MEDICINE IN STANFORD STUDENT’S BODY
Stanford University doctoral student Mengyao “May” Zhou — found dead in Santa Rosa days after she vanished from the campus — had a high level of a legal drug in her system, the Sonoma County coroner’s office reported Thursday night.
Although coroner’s officials said a cause of death has yet to be determined, they did find a toxic level of diphenhydramine, the antihistamine and sedative found in the allergy medication Benadryl and other drugs. Tests found 6.15 milligrams per liter in Zhou’s system; 1 to 5 milligrams per liter is the potentially toxic range.
No other drugs or alcohol were found in Zhou’s system, according to the toxicology report, which stemmed from an autopsy. Officials have previously said there were “no outward signs of foul play.” They have also have said Zhou’s death appeared to be a suicide. (Mercury News)
They found her car today in a college parking lot.
They said there was a body inside the trunk, but they haven’t identified it yet.
Comment by [private] | January 25, 2007
A person who did not like to drive, drove 98 miles to kill herself at a planetarium parking lot when her PhD was in electrical engineering and did not involve astronomy. She chose to crawl into the trunk. Well there may be no marks indicating trauma and there may be a note but I’d sure want to see the toxicology reports and determine who she knew at that junior college.
Comment by Fools Gold | January 27, 2007
Online banking transaction in unusual amount just prior to leaving on ‘errand’.
Recent attempt to seek father’s advice on resume revision was put off with wait for usual Sunday discussion-time.
Ninety-eight mile drive still seems unusual for someone who disliked driving.
Comment by Fools Gold | January 27, 2007
This is so sad. Such a beautiful young woman with a very bright future.
Comment by Tom Gordon | February 15, 2007
This is shocking.. I agree. Why would she drive so much and then kill herself by slipping in the trunk of the car ? This is obviously a murder case mis-handled by the police. The suicide story is just a cover-up either for the cops who mis-handled the case, or worse yet to help the murderer.
Comment by Ashish | February 19, 2007