Mengyao Zhou autopsy: No signs of foul play

Stanford University graduate
Mengyao "May" Zhou

By James Lanaras, Bay City News Service

January 27, 2007

SANTA ROSA (BCN) - An autopsy on Stanford University graduate student Mengyao "May'' Zhou disclosed no visible signs of trauma to her body or any new indications that foul play was involved in her death, Santa Rosa police said Friday.

Zhou, 23, was found dead in the trunk of her silver Toyota Corolla on Thursday afternoon. The car was found in a parking lot at Santa Rosa Junior College and towed to an impound yard.

Police said on Thursday they found items in the trunk that indicated Zhou might have committed suicide, but they made no mention of that theory today.

"Toxicology and other lab results will not be available for several weeks. No final determination on a cause of death will be announced until all test results are returned and all evidence is processed,'' police said in a statement.

Police said they are still interviewing people who may have information regarding the circumstances of her death.

During a phone call this afternoon, Yitong Zhou, May Zhou's father, said he believes foul play was involved and he said he doesn't believe his daughter committed suicide.

He said his daughter's roommate saw no sign his daughter was depressed and that his daughter did not have any problems with her school work.

Zhou was last seen leaving her apartment on the Stanford campus on Saturday morning.

Copyright © 2007 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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