Murder of Kevin Jiang

On the evening of February 6, 2021, Jiang left the apartment of his fiancée in the East Rock neighborhood of New Haven. At around 8:30 p.m., Jiang's Toyota Prius was struck from behind by a black SUV, driven by Qinxuan Pan. The collision was not significant and after the SUV backed up, Jiang exited his vehicle to check on the other motorist. When he reached the driver's side, Jiang was shot twice by Pan, who then stepped out and fired six more shots at Jiang, who had collapsed to the ground. Jiang died of multiple gunshots to the face and torso. Emergency responders were unable to revive him.{{Cite news |last1=Bass |first1=Paul |last2=Breen |first2=Thomas |date=February 8, 2021 |title=Murdered Student May Have Been "Targeted" |url=https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/homicide_in_east_rock |access-date=2022-12-25 |work=New Haven Independent}} Police first investigated the shooting as a random crime, potentially due to road rage, but later suspected a possible personal motive.{{Cite web |last=Steele |first=Emma |date=2025-01-26 |title=How an MIT graduate student planned a Yale student's near perfect murder - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kevin-jiang-yale-murder-qinxuan-pan-mit-48-hours/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Murray |date=2025-01-26 |title=Yale grad student shot to death in what investigators feared was a perfect murder - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kevin-jiang-yale-grad-student-murder-qinxuan-pan-48-hours/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}

Approximately 30 minutes after the murder, Pan drove into a scrap yard with his car and after being pursued by the facility's security guard, he became stuck on nearby railroad tracks due to a flat tire. Accidental trespassing by motorists was not uncommon since the open property was near the highway and as local officers were unaware of the murder, they did not detain him and arranged for towing assistance. Pan was driven to a Best Western hotel in Hamden, Connecticut, by police, after which he dumped a handgun and ten boxes of ammo in plastic bags outside of an adjacent Arby's restaurant. The items were reported the following day and quickly linked to Pan, but a search of the hotel found that Pan had left without using the room he paid for.{{Cite web |last=Hahamy |first=Julia Brown, Madison |date=2021-02-26 |title=Qinxuan Pan allegedly stole vehicle the day of Yale student's death |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/02/26/qinxuan-pan-allegedly-stole-vehicle-the-day-of-yale-students-death/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Yale Daily News |language=en}} Pan was named as a suspect on February 10 and a warrant was issued for his arrest on February 26. New Haven Police considered Pan to be "armed and dangerous."{{Cite news |date=2022-11-22 |title=Connecticut Supreme Court rules that man accused of killing Yale grad student can request a lower bond |url=https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/connecticut-supreme-court-rules-that-man-accused-of-killing-yale-grad-student-can-request-a-lower-bond/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221207031752/https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/connecticut-supreme-court-rules-that-man-accused-of-killing-yale-grad-student-can-request-a-lower-bond/ |archive-date=2022-12-07 |access-date=2025-03-03 |work=WTNH.com |language=en-US}} A reward of $5,000 for information that would contribute to Pan's arrest was issued by the U.S. Marshals Service, later increased to $10,000 on March 1.{{Cite news |author=Staff Report |date=2021-02-11 |title=Reward offered in search for Qinxuan Pan; U.S. Marshals say he might be in Georgia |url=https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/Reward-offered-in-search-for-Qinxuan-Pan-U-S-15944194.php |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210212064601/https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/Reward-offered-in-search-for-Qinxuan-Pan-U-S-15944194.php |archive-date=2021-02-12 |access-date=2025-03-03 |work=GreenwichTime |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Rateshtari |first=Roya |date=2021-03-03 |title=U.S. Marshals Expand Manhunt Nationwide for Murder Suspect Accused of Killing Yale Student {{!}} U.S. Marshals Service |url=https://www.usmarshals.gov/news/press-release/us-marshals-expand-manhunt-nationwide-murder-suspect-accused-of-killing-yale |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.usmarshals.gov |language=en}}

Pan was further tied to Jiang's murder by DNA on the ammo boxes and gun case, blood on clothes found inside the SUV and the vehicle's interior, as well as a partial imprint of a license plate, later found to have been stolen from another car, where Pan's car had bumped Jiang's vehicle. Forensic analysis showed that the pistol found along with the ammunition, a Ruger SR1911,{{Cite web |last=Breen |first=Thomas |date=July 13, 2021 |title=New Details Emerge On Why Cop Let Pan Go |url=https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/pan_hearing_warrant |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=New Haven Independent |language=en}} was not the murder weapon, which remains lost. No relationship was established between Jiang and Pan. Jiang's fiancée told investigators that she had befriended Pan at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and suspected that Pan may have been "interested" in her, but that they never had a romantic relationship.{{Cite web |date=12 June 2021 |title=Court Documents Reveal Kevin Jiang, Yale Student From Chicago, Was Shot Multiple Times At Close Range |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/kevin-jiang-murder-case-qinxuan-pan-arrest-warrant-search-warrant/ |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}}

A few days after the murder, Pan phoned his parents, Hong Huang and Hao Pan, and asked them to meet him in Connecticut, instructing them to bring money in cash. Pan subsequently drove their car to Atlanta, where he abruptly stopped near a highway and walked off. Both parents were questioned and denied knowing about Pan's involvement in a murder, but Pan's mother stated that she believed that her son had killed himself after leaving them. However, federal authorities monitored their bank accounts and took note of numerous withdraws in the following months, totalling to over $10,000.{{Cite news |last=Maag |first=Christopher |date=2024-03-01 |title=Former M.I.T. Student Pleads Guilty in 2021 Killing of Yale Student |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/nyregion/qinxuan-pan-mit-yale-killing.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-03-01 |work=The New York Times}} On April 8, 2021, Interpol issued a Red Notice requesting{{Cite web |title=Interpol: How We Work: Red Notices: View Red Notices |url=https://www.interpol.int/en/How-we-work/Notices/Red-Notices/View-Red-Notices#2021-18781 |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Interpol |language=en-UK}} Pan's arrest and detention in reference to murder and larceny charges.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-13 |title=Interpol warrant issued for suspect in Yale student's death |url=https://apnews.com/article/shootings-2294c94eb338d8bfbbdf1c657ecc87dd |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}} Pan's parents were monitored and recorded traveling to Connecticut and Georgia during spring 2021, with surveillance video at an electronics store in Marietta, Georgia, capturing footage of them along with an individual resembling Pan.{{Cite web |title=Alleged Murderer's Parents Show Support |url=https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/pan_update |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=New Haven Independent |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Judge Keeps Pan's Bond At $20M |url=https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/pan_hearing |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=New Haven Independent |language=en}}

On May 14, 2021, Pan was apprehended in Montgomery, Alabama, where he was living at a boarding house under the false name "Henry Choi". He was in possession of $19,000 cash, his father's passport, and seven cell phones. His bail was set at $20 million. Pan's parents were again investigated, but not charged.{{Cite web |last=Murdock |first=Zach |date=May 20, 2021 |title=MIT researcher accused of killing Yale grad student Kevin Jiang held on $20 million bond after facing New Haven judge |url=https://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-br-qinxuan-pan-arraigned-yale-kevin-jiang-murder-20210520-5sas5vif4vdqhjrzpg7pxw2ysm-story.html |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=Hartford Courant}}

Kevin Jiang ({{Langx|zh|蒋凯文}}){{Cite web |date=March 9, 2024 |title=26岁耶鲁华裔研究生遭枪杀3年后，嫌疑人首次认罪—新闻—科学网 |url=https://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2024/3/518779.shtm |access-date= |website=ScienceNet}} was born in Iowa City, Iowa,{{Cite web |date=2021-02-16 |title=Obituary: Kevin Jiang, 26, Of New Haven |url=https://patch.com/connecticut/newhaven/obituary-kevin-jiang-26-new-haven |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=New Haven, CT Patch |language=en}} on February 14, 1994, to Zhen "Linda" Liu and Mingchen Jiang, both originally from China.{{Cite news |date=2021-02-09 |title="He always wanted the best for other people": Fiancée of Yale grad student shot and killed in New Haven reflects on his positive impact |url=https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/he-always-wanted-the-best-for-other-people-fiance-of-yale-grad-student-shot-and-killed-in-new-haven-reflects-on-his-impact-on-his-community/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210923144920/https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/he-always-wanted-the-best-for-other-people-fiance-of-yale-grad-student-shot-and-killed-in-new-haven-reflects-on-his-impact-on-his-community/ |archive-date=2021-09-23 |access-date=2025-03-03 |work=WTNH.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Anne-Marie |last2=Weiss |first2=Murray |date=2025-01-26 |title=Did a secret obsession lead an MIT "genius" to mastermind the murder of a Yale grad student? - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kevin-jiang-yale-murder-qinxuan-pan-mit-genius-secret-obsession-48-hours/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} The family is Baptist and were part of the Chinese bible churches in Oak Park, Illinois. After his parents divorced, Jiang was raised by his mother in Chicago and became involved in church work after being bullied at school.{{Cite news |last=Lambert |first=Ben |date=2021-02-13 |title='Love is the word' Kevin Jiang used most: Family and friends mourn his death at funeral |url=https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Love-is-the-word-Kevin-Jiang-used-most-15949246.php |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230329194311/https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Love-is-the-word-Kevin-Jiang-used-most-15949246.php |archive-date=2023-03-29 |access-date=2025-03-03 |work=New Haven Register |language=en-US}} He attended North Seattle College and the University of Washington, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2016. Jiang served in the US Army National Guard as an environmental scientist, tank operator, and engineering officer, attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-03-01 |title=Arrest warrant issued for suspect in killing of National Guard officer and Yale student Kevin Jiang |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2021/02/27/arrest-warrant-issued-for-suspect-in-killing-of-national-guard-officer-and-yale-student-kevin-jiang/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Military Times |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Dennehy |first=Kevin |date=2021-02-09 |title=Kevin Jiang remembered as a person who would ask, 'How can I help?' {{!}} Yale News |url=https://news.yale.edu/2021/02/09/kevin-jiang-remembered-person-who-would-ask-how-can-i-help |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=news.yale.edu |language=en}} Since 2019, he was pursuing a master's degree in environmental science at Yale, where he volunteered at a homeless shelter and the Trinity Baptist Church. Jiang was due to graduate in mid-2021. On January 30, 2021, he became engaged to Zion Perry, a fellow Yale graduate student.{{Cite web |last1=Aman |first1=Talat |last2=Brown |first2=Julia |date=2021-02-08 |title='A gift from God': Yale community mourns loss of Kevin Jiang ENV '22 |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2021/02/07/a-gift-from-god-yale-community-mourns-loss-of-kevin-jiang-env-22/ |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=Yale Daily News |language=en}}

Qinxuan Pan ({{Langx|zh|潘勤轩}}){{Cite web |last=Maag |first=Christopher |date=2024-03-04 |title=MIT华裔博士生承认杀害耶鲁华裔研究生 |url=https://cn.nytimes.com/usa/20240304/qinxuan-pan-mit-yale-killing/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=纽约时报中文网 |language=zh-cmn-hans}} was born in Shanghai on April 16, 1991, immigrated to the United States as a child, and was raised in Malden, Massachusetts. He holds U.S. citizenship.{{Cite web |title=Connecticut State Department of Correction – Inmate Information – Pan, Qinxuan |url=http://www.ctinmateinfo.state.ct.us/detailsupv.asp?id_inmt_num=436854 |access-date=2024-11-23}} He attended Thomas S. Wootton High School and in 2009, he represented the USA in the International Mathematical Olympiad in Bremen, Germany, where he won a silver medal.{{Cite web |title=International Mathematical Olympiad – Individual Ranking – Qinxuan Pan |url=https://www.imo-official.org/participant_r.aspx?id=19046 |access-date=2024-11-23}} Pan was a PhD candidate in computer science at MIT, and worked at the MIT CSAIL as an AI researcher. He was described as "genius", but socially withdrawn.{{Cite web |last=Hardaway |first=Liz |date=January 23, 2025 |title=Case of Yale student Kevin Jiang's homicide to be featured in '48 Hours' episode Saturday |url=https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/kevin-jiang-case-48-hours-qinxuan-pan-20051910.php |website=CTPost}}

Pan was later connected to a series of drive-by shootings in the same area between December 11, 2020 and February 6, 2021. Four homes were shot at, but no one was injured. At every scene, one to five .45 calibre casings were recovered. The final shooting had occurred an hour before Jiang's murder. In both the non-fatal shootings and Jiang's murder, Pan had used a 2013 GMC Terrain from a car dealership in Mansfield, Massachusetts, having taken it out for test drives each time and not returned it after the killing. Investigators stated that the drive-bys were meant to mislead police into believing that Jiang's murder was a random act of violence.{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-04-23 |title=Man sentenced to 35 years for 2021 murder of Yale grad student |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/qinxuan-pan-sentenced-35-years-2021-murder-of-yale-grad-student-kevin-jiang/3273043/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=NBC Connecticut |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=DiGiammerino |first=Thea |last2= |first2= |date=2021-06-11 |title=Court Documents Reveal New Details in Case Against MIT Student Suspected in Killing of Yale Student |url=https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/court-documents-reveal-new-details-in-case-against-mit-student-suspected-in-killing-of-yale-student/2506710/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=NBC Connecticut |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Lambert |first=Ben |date=June 11, 2021 |title=Affidavit: The guns, cars and DNA that led police to arrest Qinxuan Pan in slaying of Yale grad student |url=https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Affidavit-The-guns-cars-and-DNA-that-led-police-16242058.php |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240423180705/https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Affidavit-The-guns-cars-and-DNA-that-led-police-16242058.php |archive-date=2024-04-23 |access-date=2025-03-03 |work=New Haven Register |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Breen |first=Thomas |date=June 11, 2021 |title=Warrant Ties Pan To Other Local Shootings; North Haven Cops Ran Stole Plate |url=https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/qinxuan_pan_warrant |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=New Haven Independent |language=en}}

The U.S. Marshals Service charged him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and interstate theft of a vehicle.{{Cite news |last=Gold |first=Michael |date=2021-02-11 |title=A Yale Student Is Killed. An M.I.T. Student Is Wanted for Questioning. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/nyregion/quinxuan-pan-yale-student-shot.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114113005/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/nyregion/quinxuan-pan-yale-student-shot.html |archive-date=14 January 2022 |access-date=2022-12-25 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} The trial was delayed to April 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Charlotte |date=2022-03-04 |title=Qinxuan Pan murder trial further delayed again to April 5 |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2022/03/04/qinxuan-pan-murder-trial-further-delayed-again-to-april-5/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Yale Daily News |language=en}}

On December 9, 2022, Pan pled not guilty after Judge Jon Alander determined there was probable cause for the charges filed against him.{{Cite web |last1=Hardaway |first1=Liz |last2=Backus |first2=Lisa |date=2022-12-09 |title=Qinxuan Pan pleads not guilty after judge finds probable cause in Yale graduate student's homicide |url=https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Pan-pleads-not-guilty-Jiang-Yale-student-homicide-17640740.php |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=New Haven Register |language=en-US}}

On February 27, 2024, Pan pled guilty to the charges, and, as a part of his plea deal, faced up to 35 years in prison without the possibility of probation or parole.{{Cite news |last=Maag |first=Christopher |date=2024-03-01 |title=Former M.I.T. Student Pleads Guilty in 2021 Killing of Yale Student |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/nyregion/qinxuan-pan-mit-yale-killing.html |access-date=2024-03-01 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} The prosecution did not disclose Pan's motive.{{Cite news |last=Maag |first=Christopher |date=2024-03-01 |title=Former M.I.T. Student Pleads Guilty in 2021 Killing of Yale Student |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/29/nyregion/qinxuan-pan-mit-yale-killing.html |access-date=2024-03-01 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} On April 23, 2024, Judge Gerald Harmon sentenced Pan to 35 years in prison.{{Cite news |last=Staff |date=2024-04-24 |title=Qinxuan Pan Sentenced To 35 Years In Prison |url=https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/qinxuan_pan_sentencing |access-date=2024-06-17 |work=New Haven Independent |pages=}}

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Category:2021 murders in the United States

Category:Deaths by firearm in Connecticut

Category:February 2021 crimes in the United States

Category:University and college killings in the United States

Category:Murder in Connecticut