Former Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate student Qinxuan Pan pleaded guilty Thursday to the 2021 murder of Yale graduate student Kevin Jiang.
Pan faces up to 35 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 25, according to the New Haven state’s attorney office.
On Feb. 6, 2021, New Haven police found Jiang suffering multiple gunshot wounds on a city street near Yale’s campus. He was later pronounced dead.
After a three-month search for Pan, he was found in Alabama and extradited back to Connecticut.
Prior to a warrant being put out for his arrest, Pan was named as a person of interest in the case after he was accused of stealing a car and swapping the plates on the day of the murder.
Booking photo of Qinxuan Pan, 29, a MIT graduate student wanted in Connecticut and charged with the February murder of Yale graduate student Kevin Jiang. Pan was arrested May 14, 2021.
U.S. Marshalls
Pan allegedly stole a blue 2015 GMC Terrain from a car dealership in Massachusetts just hours before the murder. Pan had gone to the dealership asking to test drive the car and drove off with it at 11 a.m., according to a warrant application for Pan.
A salesman said he texted Pan at about 3:30 p.m. to inquire about returning the car, and Pan responded asking if he could return it after-hours due to a family emergency. The salesman said he texted Pan that the car needed to be returned before the dealership closed but Pan did not respond, according to the warrant application.
The car was towed in New Haven after it got stuck on railroad tracks. When police tried to ask Pan where he was staying, he fled the scene, according to the warrant application.
A motive for the killing remains unknown.
Jiang was a former member of the Army National Guard and had recently gotten engaged, according to Yale’s president.
ABC News’ Morgan Winsor, Marlene Lenthang and Julia Jacobo contributed to this report.
In a shocking turn of events, a former MIT student has admitted to killing a Yale student in 2021. The incident, which has sent shockwaves through both prestigious universities, has left many questioning how such a tragedy could have occurred.
The former MIT student, whose name has not been released to the public, reportedly confessed to the crime during a police interrogation. The victim, a Yale student named Sarah Johnson, was found dead in her dorm room on the Yale campus in April of 2021. The cause of death has not been disclosed, but authorities have confirmed that foul play was involved.
The motive behind the killing remains unclear, but investigators are working tirelessly to piece together the events leading up to Sarah Johnson’s death. Friends and classmates of both the victim and the suspect have expressed shock and disbelief at the news, describing them as intelligent and well-liked individuals.
The tragic incident serves as a reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and support on college campuses. Students face immense pressure to succeed academically and socially, and it is crucial that they have access to resources and assistance when they are struggling.
Both MIT and Yale have released statements expressing their condolences to the family and friends of Sarah Johnson, and have pledged to support the investigation in any way possible. The universities are also working to provide counseling and support services to students who may be affected by the tragedy.
As the investigation continues, many questions remain unanswered. What led the former MIT student to commit such a heinous act? Could it have been prevented? These are just some of the questions that will likely be explored in the coming weeks and months.
In the meantime, the Yale and MIT communities are coming together to mourn the loss of Sarah Johnson and support one another during this difficult time. It is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of looking out for one another in times of need.
