Further details were released Wednesday regarding the apparent murder of IU student Yaolin Wang and the apparent suicide of Chuanlin Xiao.
Bloomington Police Department officers responded to Stratum Apartments at 3130 E. Goodnight Way on Sept. 30 after a man and woman were found dead in the common area of one of the apartment buildings.
Wang and Xiao met during the spring semester at North Seattle Community College, according to the latest BPD release. While there, Xiao imposed himself on Wang, moving in with her and refusing to leave.
Investigators believe Xiao might have also physically and mentally abused Wang as he tried to assert control over her life.
Wang did not seek outside assistance from school officials or law enforcement. Though friends of Wang tried to step in, Xiao told them he came from a powerful family in China who could retaliate against their families in China.
When officers arrived they found a 20-year-old man in a stairwell, dead from an apparent suicide by hanging, according to an initial BPD press release. Officers then discovered a 21-year-old woman on a nearby patio area, dead from apparent stab wounds.
The victim and suspect had been in a relationship for approximately six months, according to the initial release. They had lived together at Goodnight Way for about a month.
After a trip home to China this summer, Wang transferred to IU-Bloomington this fall. On Aug. 22, Xiao arrived in Bloomington, where he again moved into Wang’s residence and refused to leave.
Wang also discovered that her passport was missing, that Xiao was stealing or hiding cosmetics from her and that Xiao was possibly forcing her to provide him with large sums of money.
Again, Wang did not seek outside assistance from school officials or law enforcement, according to the latest release.
Xiao returned to the Seattle area Sept. 19 and returned to Bloomington unannounced Sept. 30.
At some point, Wang sent a text message to a friend stating something to the effect of, “My nightmare is back.”
Wang attended her business class Sept. 30, according to the latest release.
At approximately 9:20 p.m. the 911 call was received when Xiao’s body was discovered. Wang’s body was later found.
Ashleigh Sherman
