-柳乾父接受越洋访问 坚信女儿被杀害
-死者室友：我有疑犯照片
-警方确认殒命北京女生身分
-约大英语语言学院简介
-柳乾父母即将抵多
-York U. student in webcam attack ID’d
-Police identify victim in ‘suspicious death’ near York U
-Webcam murder victim identified
-Police investigating if York student’s death result of lethal injection
柳乾父接受越洋访问 坚信女儿被杀害
明报/虽然多伦多警方在昨日正式公布了约克大学遇害中国女留学生的姓名，但暂时仍然无法说明死者柳乾的确切死因，仍需要法医检验死者体内是否存在有毒物质。受害人的父亲接受本报采访时希望，能够尽快查明死因，锁定凶手，为女儿伸冤。
约克大学方面昨日也发出特别声明，为柳乾的不幸遇害而表示沉重哀悼。
虽然许多媒体已经以猜测的方式披露了死者的姓名甚至照片，但多伦多警方直至昨日才证实，死者名为柳乾(Qian Liu)，现年23岁，来自中国首都北京。她突然去世之前，正在约克大学语言学院修读英文。
由于警方至今还无法查明柳乾的死因，而且遇害现场也有一些令人疑惑的地方，例如受害人下半身赤裸，但身上又没有遭受性侵犯的迹象，甚至连遭受外力打击的痕迹也没有，死因暂时成谜，因此网上甚至还出现了柳乾有绝望情绪的帖子。
但柳乾的父亲柳先生接受本报记者采访时肯定地表示，他从可靠渠道获知，女儿是遭人伤害才不幸身亡的。
“孩子确是很想家。她去年9月才去加拿大，在约克大学读语言班。我们夫妻俩和孩子的感情很好，女儿经常和我们联系，跟我们说她的情况。她说很想家，想父母，想北京，想北京的好吃的，就是在说一种心情，既不是说没钱，也不是不允许她回家，更没有什么绝望的情绪。只是想跟妈妈说，一等到录取通知书，就先回家看看，到正式开学了再返回学校。”
柳乾出事前甫与母亲视频聊天
就在女儿出事之前，柳乾都还在和妈妈用网络视频通话。“那是北京时间中午的时候，孩子用互联网和妈妈视频聊天，就说到想回家的事情。但因为没有等到录取通知书，所以也不能走。她向好几个大学都投递了入学申请，就等校方的回应了。”
据柳先生说，女儿和妈妈结束通话之后，又继续在网上和朋友交谈，结果那位朋友就亲眼目睹了一段惊心动魄的打斗场面。
“那个男孩子是女儿多年的同学，很好的朋友。他在网络上看到有陌生人进来，还和女儿打起来，然后视频就断了，他很着急，不知道出了什么事情，马上打电话到我们家来。那时是中午1时多或1时半左右，可我当时出差，不在家，是孩子的妈妈接的电话。”
白人男子入室索手机后打斗
据警方昨日在新闻会上透露，那位男友人与柳乾刚开始聊天不久，就有人敲门，柳乾应门后，一名年约20岁至30岁、身型魁悟的白人男子走入，问柳乾要手机随即与柳乾发生打斗，那男子更将柳乾用作视频聊天的手提电脑关掉。事后这部IBM Think Pad T400手提电脑踪影全无，警方怀疑被那名白人男子偷走。
柳先生说，他妻子当时就向中国外交部求助。“外交部听说有中国留学生的生命安全受到威胁，挺重视的，马上开始联系多伦多总领馆，但当时多伦多正是半夜三更，没联系上。”
与此同时，柳乾的那位男友人也向多伦多的同学和朋友求助，请他们到柳乾的住所察看一下，但为时已晚。
柳先生问，女儿所住的房子是不是有保安录影？“那房子好像是她最近才租的，对里面的情况我们也不了解，只知道有很多学生都住在里面。那是谁给那个男人开的大门？他是怎么进来的？”
在向记者讲述当日情形的时候，柳先生的嗓音显得比较沙哑。他说他这两天都在忙着办理去加拿大的签证，想尽快赶去多伦多。
“孩子她妈的情绪这几天都很不好。刚刚才和女儿视频通话，才过了一会就出事了，你可以想像得到一个母亲现在的感受。”
柳先生希望，多伦多警方与总领馆，能和他们家人保持联系，有什么新情况立刻通知。
“希望警方能尽快锁定凶手，找出真凶，能给我们的女儿伸冤。”
警方昨日虽然没有什么大的进展公布，但却在出事的芬治路夹Sentinel Rd.地区的Aldwinckle Heights 27号附近，又有新的行动。警方在距离该地点两个街区外的Haynes Av. 46号民宅采取搜查行动，从里面取出多个纸袋的证物。有现场的警员暗示，在此处的搜查行动与女学生死亡案有关。
昨日约克大学发布一份中文版的校长声明(见另稿)，对该校学生柳乾的突然去世表示沉重的哀悼。中国驻多伦多总领馆也发表声明(见另稿)，提醒中国公民和留学生在日常生活中提高安全防范意识。
一位中国留学生昨在出事地区附近打听是否有空房出租。当被记者问及是否会担心人身安全时，这位女学生无奈地说：“没办法，这离学校近啊。不过我想有机会的话，就搬去芬治街那边的柏文大厦，那里应该会好一些罢？”
死者室友：我有疑犯照片
死者的室友Milk说，有一名白人男子一直在追求柳乾。（Omni）
世界日报/多伦多警方18日发出新闻通告，证实约克大学女尸命案的死者，是来自中国北京的23岁留学生柳乾（译音，Qian Liu）。这一消息与早前网路上流传的死者姓名“柳乾”完全相同。
据柳乾的室友Milk说，住在同栋独立屋内的一名白人男子一直在追求柳乾，但屡遭拒绝。Milk还将自己电脑里柳乾的照片，以及他认为可能是疑犯的照片展示给记者看，但他的电脑后来被警方拿去调查。
警方指，死者在被发现时已是当日上午11时，当时其腰部以下的衣服被撤去，下身赤裸伏尸土库内，死亡时间约有十个小时。验尸结果显示，死者身上并没有发现被性侵犯的痕迹。警方昨日继续在案发街区搜寻线索，并从同街另一幢镇屋取走一些证物，希望藉此找到更多与此案相关的蛛丝马迹。
上周五多伦多警方接到报警，随后在约克大学附近一独立屋土库发现女性尸体，具体位置是Keele St. 和Finch Ave.的Aldwinckle Heights 27号。目前，多伦多警方仍仅将该宗命案列为一宗非自然死亡案（Suspicious Death）处理。
目前，由于检查人员没有在尸体上发现足以致死的外伤，所以警方仍不能确认其死因。接下来，警方将等待中毒报告（toxicology reports）以及法医的验尸报告，看是否有其他原因导致其死亡。
在命案被揭发后，不少约大的学生登录网路论坛，有人还贴上死者的照片，以及死者在社交网站“人人网”内的个人资料。网页内显示死者叫柳乾，家乡北京海淀区，学校是北京城市学院。
据悉，案发时，柳乾正与其身在中国的男友于网上视频聊天，后应门声开门，门外男子说要借电话，之后两人发生争执，男子将电脑视频关掉。死者的男友感觉不妙，便通知其在中国的家人，也曾经辗转报警，但可惜为时已晚。
已与柳乾交往七年的男友事后接受警方越洋调查时表示，他并不认识进门的男子，但不确定死者是否认识他。该男子是一名白人，年龄在20至30岁之间，身高约6尺，体重在175至200磅之间，肌肉型身材，黄头发，其头发前面凌乱，但后面梳理得整齐；事发时穿一件蓝色圆领T恤。
市民若有此案任何线索，请立即与警方联络。警方直线电话416-808-7399或匿名灭罪热线416-222-TIPS （8477）。
警方确认殒命北京女生身分
警搜案发现场附近镇屋检走物品调查
星岛日报/多伦多警方昨天证实上周五被发现下身赤裸，伏尸约克大学校区附近公寓地库的女学生，是来自北京的柳乾(音译:Qian Liu)，警方鉴证科人员昨天仍在案发现场搜集证据，探员则掩至现场附近一个镇屋单位内，检走一些物品带返警署作进一步调查。
警方昨日已准许居于Aldwinckle Heights案发现场二楼的住客返回家，惟案发现场仍然封锁。有居住于现场二楼的住客在下午离开时三缄其口，只向记者表示是应警方要求不接受访问及不发言。
警方昨日早上8时许，在距离现场不到500公尺的Haynes Ave. 街角另一间住宅进行搜查，并带走一些文件。居住在该分租住宅的一名约克大学学生表示，不清楚屋内分租予多少学生，彼此也不认识。他说，附近住宅结构基本上大同小异，楼上三间房，有一些小单位只有两个房间；地库也有板间房。
警方至今仍未公布死者致死原因，只透露死者被发现时腰间以下没穿衣服，初步验尸结果显示她无被性侵犯，身上亦无明显伤痕，死因仍有待进一步毒理及病理化验。由于死者死前正与身处中国的男友透露视像通话，男友人与女事主倾谈至案发当日凌晨1时许，有人敲事主房间房门，事主让一名白人男子入房，表示要借用女事主的电话，未几两人即发生纠缠，通讯在这时中断，事主的男友表示不认识该名白人男子，事主的一部IBM Thinkpad T400型手提电脑于案发后不翼而飞，警方希望能寻回该部电脑，或能从中找出有助破案的线索。
在本地一个中文论坛于案发后翌日，有人以“你们有权利知道”为题帖文，提到他发现死者时，“趴在了冷冰冰的地板上，她头发凌乱，睡裙被人推到了胸部以上，脚边是被人脱去的内裤，旁边还有一片带血的卫生棉”。帖文者称，当时不知用什么言语去描述当时的感觉，脚发抖地快要站不住，他拨打了911却颤抖地连一个单词都说不出口。据帖文内容所述，不排除女死者刚巧月事来潮，因而未有受到性侵犯。
约克大学一个中文论坛上有人发贴，指一位身处美国、自称是柳“国内同学”的人士与发贴人联络，希望本地有了解案情人士，直接联络柳乾在北京的父亲。该贴中留下了柳父的中文姓名及在北京的电话号码。贴中亦公布了自称其同学人士在美国的电话号码。不过上述消息未经证实。
警方目前仍将案列作“可疑死亡案”处理，知情者可致电多伦多警队凶杀组高级探长史谷比（Frank Skubic），电话416-808-7399，或致电灭罪热线416-222-TIPS(8477)，通过灭罪热线网站www.222tips.com提供线索。亦可拨打电话CRIMES(274637)短信留言。
北京协会准备施援手
加拿大北京协会副会长陈献昨天对来自北京的女青年学生死亡悲剧表示悲伤，他表示北京协会对死者并不熟悉， 协会近日透过新闻报道及网络关注事件发展，不管死者是否来自北京，大家都是同胞，北京协会准备好伸出援助之手。
陈献昨天接受本报记者访问时指出，由于事出突然，目前尚不了解最好的协助方法在哪里。如果死者家人或亲属有需要，可以与北京协会联络，协会将尽一切力量提供帮助。
陈献亦指出，北京协会多年来一直希望，并且再次呼吁本地华人社团，更多关注大陆年青留学生群体在本地的状况，以同胞之情及华人社区的经验、资源，为留学生提供更多帮助和支持。
他指出小留学生如果在安居、学业或是社会交往上有任何问题，或是面临紧急情况需要帮助，不管是否来自北京，都可以联络加拿大北京协会寻求帮助。该会的网站www.beijingcanada.com上有详细的联络方式。
约大英语语言学院简介
星岛日报/离奇倒毙于大学校园附近镇屋单位的女死者柳乾，生前就读的约克大学英语语言学院（York University English Language Institute），据约大网页的资料显示，英语语言学院提供“约克直通车”（Destination York）项目，该项目由两个截然不同部分组成：为期8周的约克大学英语语言学院学术英语课程和约克大学四年制本科学位课程。
柳乾是于今年1月从北京来多市入读约大英语语言学院，资料指出，学生在8周时间里，有机会提高英语技能和学术技能，了解约大的本科课程，做好入学准备。语言学院专门设计的约克直通车项目，授课时间为六月至八月（面向九月到约克大学入学的学生）、十月至十二月（面向一月入学者）、三月至四月（面向五月入学者），旨在为即将读大学的学生，提供一段英文强化学习的体验。
约克直通车项目旨在帮助高中毕业生，做好在约克大学学习准备。课程侧重帮助学生达到学习约克大学本科课程所必需的语言技能。有资格加入直通车项目的高中毕业生，将是一群有志提高学术英语技能的精选优等生。
在8周时间里，学生必须完成各种听说读写活动。学生将学习如何分析学术读物的中心思想、论点、逻辑漏洞、风格和倾向。还将学习如何领会研讨会和讲座的主要观点，提高记笔记的技能，以清晰的论题、证据、可以接受的引语，和与学术论文写作水平相称的重述技巧撰写研究论文。所有作业都将由具备学术英语（EAP）丰富教学背景的教师团队监督和检查。
圆满完成8周英语语言训练课程，取得进入所选院系所需的分数，收到约克大学有条件录取通知的学生，将可就读约克大学的本科课程。
柳乾父母即将抵多
加国无忧 作者：谈海/4月18日，多伦多警方正式公开了非正常死亡的中国女留学生身份，她是23岁的柳乾（Qian Liu），来自北京。警方仍然在继续寻找柳乾去世前进入其房间的白人男子，并呼吁更多知情者与警方联系。
此前熟悉柳乾的网友已经在网络上发布了她的姓名和照片，并有知情者透露了报警经过。由于警方至今还无法查明柳乾的死因，而且遇害现场也有一些令人疑惑的地方，例如受害人下半身赤裸，但身上又没有遭受性侵犯的迹象，甚至连遭受外力打击的痕迹也没有，死因暂时成谜，网上还曾出现了柳乾有绝望情绪的帖子。
柳乾父母近日将抵多
身在北京的柳乾的父亲柳建辉告诉51网记者，得到女儿的噩耗，她的母亲马上就支持不住了，他也不敢相信会有这样的事情发生。记者问他们在多伦多是否有亲友，柳建辉说没有。关于多伦多的后事处理他也一无所知，只有等到了那里再说。柳建辉说，在领事馆的帮助下，已经递交申请，一拿到签证，马上就会去多伦多。
据了解，柳建辉在北京某机关单位工作，家庭就是普通的市民家庭。他们的女儿柳乾是去年9月到加拿大的，在约克大学读语言班。柳乾和父母的感情很好，就是一直说很想家。就在柳乾出事之前，她还和妈妈用网络视频通话。柳乾告诉妈妈，已经向好几个大学投递了入学申请，一等到录取通知书，就先回家看看，到正式开学了再返回学校。
柳乾和妈妈结束通话之后，又继续在网上和朋友交谈，结果那位朋友就亲眼目睹了一段惊心动魄的打斗场面。据柳建辉介绍，那个男孩子是柳乾多年的同学，很好的朋友。他在网络上看到有陌生人进来，还和女儿打起来，然后视频就断了，他很着急，不知道出了什么事情，马上打电话给柳乾的妈妈，柳乾的妈妈当时就向中国外交部求助。因为时差的原因，没能联系到多伦多总领馆。结果第二天就得到了女儿的死讯。
柳乾室友回答媒体采访
-约大校长发中文声明悼柳乾
-中领馆约见警方高层了解案情
York U. student in webcam attack ID’d
CBC News Posted: Apr 18, 2011 1:28 PM ET Last Updated: Apr 18, 2011 9:56 PM ET
Toronto police have identified the young woman they believe died in her basement apartment near York University after struggling with someone who knocked at her door.
Police found the body of a 23-year-old Chinese national, who was studying at York, at about 11 a.m. Friday after an official from the Chinese Consulate called to express concern.
Police identified the student on Monday as Qian Liu, 23, from Beijing.
Qian Liu, 23, was found dead in her basement apartment near York University on Friday. Police said Sunday that the young woman was having an online video chat at about 1 a.m. on Friday with a man overseas who has since spoken with police.
Her mother had called the Chinese Consulate to say something had happened to her daughter and to ask officials to check on her at her basement apartment located just south of the York campus.
Police say the student was found unclothed from the waist down, but there were no obvious signs she was sexually assaulted. The cause of death hasn’t been determined yet.
Speaking on CBC News Network on Monday afternoon, Toronto police spokesman Const. Tony Vella said the case remains a suspicious death investigation.
“Her body was taken to the coroner’s office for a post-mortem investigation and they still need to do further tests … and at that point we’ll have a better understanding once we get the results back if it’s a homicide or not, but still classified as a suspicious death,” he said.
Vella said Qian was chatting with a man online, who witnessed some of the attack and was able to give police a description of the attacker.
“[The online witness] was chatting with her on Friday around 1 a.m. and he heard someone knocking on her door and at that point the lady got up and answered the door,” said Vella.
“He could hear the man asking to use her cellphone. At which time he also then noticed that there was a struggle between her and the man and then someone turned off the victim’s laptop,” said Vella.
When asked why 10 hours passed between when the attack was witnessed and the arrival of police, Vella said police were not notified until Friday morning.
“Someone had gone to [her] address because they were concerned for her well-being and they went into the apartment and they found her there and they were concerned so they contacted police,” said Vella. “We responded on the Friday at 11 a.m. and that’s when we were first made aware of the situation,” he said.
“[The online witness] is not from Toronto, he is from China and there was a conversation between [the victim] and this man, but he did not notify police, it was someone else and, that’s another factor that we’re looking at.”
Zhuo Yue said he and Qian used to go clubbing together. He said the person Qian was chatting with online at the time she was attacked was her boyfriend, though police would not confirm this. Zhuo said he didn’t know she was in trouble until he got an email from her boyfriend in Beijing on Friday morning.
“At 8 a.m. I left home for school,” he told CBC News through an interpreter. “I didn’t see the message sent by her boyfriend until 8:30 a.m. on the bus. I called my brother right away to check on her. She didn’t answer the door. I called the landlord to open the door.”
Vella also said it appears this was not a random attack.
“It looks targeted, but we’ll still look into all possibilities at this point and it’s important to keep an open mind in this case,” he said.
Although some of the struggle occurred out of view of the computer’s camera, a description of the assailant was provided from what the witness could see:
-A white male aged between 20 and 30 years old.
-About six feet tall and between 175 and 200 pounds with a muscular build, and medium-length brown hair, messy at the front and well-groomed at back.
-He was wearing a blue crew-neck T-shirt.
Police are still looking for the victim’s computer, which was taken from the scene. It is an IBM Thinkpad, model T400.
York issues statement
York University released a statement on Monday afternoon, calling the woman’s death a “terrible tragedy.”
“Our entire community mourns the loss of a promising young student,” the statement from York president Mamdouh Shoukri. “Our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy go out to her family, friends and classmates.”
“The tragic passing of a member of the York community affects us all. I would ask students, faculty and staff to reach out to one another at this very difficult time.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2011/04/18/york-student-identified432.html
Police identify victim in ‘suspicious death’ near York U
ctvtoronto.ca
Date: Monday Apr. 18, 2011 7:30 PM ET
The identity of a woman who died under suspicious circumstances was made public Monday as Toronto police continued to search for a man seen via webcam in the woman’s basement apartment.
Qian Liu, 23, from Beijing, China, was found dead on Friday inside a basement apartment at 27 Aldwinckle Hts., near Keele Street and Finch Avenue, near York University.
Homicide detectives say the woman was having an online web-cam conversation with a friend overseas when someone knocked at her apartment door at approximately 1 a.m. on Friday.
Police are calling the friend an “online witness” to a concerning series of events. He reportedly saw the woman open her door to a man who then asked to borrow her phone, before physically assaulting her. The man then turned off the woman’s laptop computer.
Investigators are currently searching for the missing laptop, an IBM ThinkPad T400.
Police say the woman was discovered late Friday morning unclothed from the waist down.
“It was obvious that she had been dead for some period of time,” Det.-Sgt. Frank Skubic said on Sunday.
However, Skubic said there were no obvious signs of sexual assault or trauma and further studies including a toxicology report are needed before police can determine the cause of the woman’s death.
Skubic said the woman’s family is currently making plans to come to Canada.
Mamdouh Shoukri, president and vice-chancellor of York University, expressed his condolences on Monday, describing Liu as an impressive member of the school.
“Qian’s death is a terrible tragedy and our entire community mourns the loss of a promising young student. Our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy go out of her family, friends and classmates,” a statement reads.
One of Liu’s roommates said she had been chatting with her boyfriend in China before the incident. Friends believe the man that entered her room is someone who has been pursuing her romantically.
Other tenants of Liu’s house had little to say about her murder on Monday.
“It’s like different people living in the house, so we don’t really know each other personally,” said one tenant.
Other students living in the area are also trying to cope with Liu’s death.
“I think it’s really scary because I’m a girl and I live right in the general area where somebody was possibly killed,” said one neighbour.
Another resident told reporters, “I’m telling my colleagues that they have to make sure they lock the door and shouldn’t open any doors to any strangers.”
Police continue to search for the man seen in the apartment, calling him a “person of interest.”
Police describe the man as:
Male
White
20-30 years old
6 ft. tall
175-200 lbs
Muscular build
Medium-length brown hair that was messy at the front and well groomed in the back.
Last seen wearing a blue crewneck T-shirt
Police are asking other residents in the multi-unit building to help them in their investigation.
If anyone has any information they are asked to call Det. Seg. Frank Skubic at 416−808−7399, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416−222−TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave a tip onFacebook.
With files from CTV’s Tamara Cherry
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110418/death-identity-york-university-110418/20110418/?hub=TorontoNewHome
Webcam murder victim identified
CHRIS DOUCETTE, Toronto Sun
First posted: Monday, April 18, 2011 9:24:58 EDT PM
TORONTO – A York University student whose last moments of life were witnessed by her friend back home in China via an online video chat has now been identified.
Qian “Necole” Liu, 23, of Beijing, came to Canada on a student visa last September, Toronto Police say.
And now, seven months later, her family is coming here to bring her body back home.
Homicide detectives are handling the case, which may be the city’s first murder ever witnessed through the Internet.
But for now they are only calling the death “suspicious.”
Investigators are waiting for an autopsy to determine the cause of death before.
Liu was found partially naked around 11 a.m. Friday in her basement apartment at 27 Aldwinckle Hts., northwest of Keele St. and Finch Ave. W., a house just off-campus where she lived along with 10 other students.
She may have died up to 10 hours earlier.
Police say Liu was talking via a web cam to a friend when there was a knock on her door around 1 a.m.
The friend apparently watched as Liu answered the door and allowed a man inside to use her cellphone.
There was a “struggle” and the man shut down Liu’s laptop. But not before the friend got a look at him from more than 18,000 km away.
“It’s definitely the first time I’ve seen this,” Det.-Sgt. Frank Skubic said.
The long-distance witness has described the suspect as white, between 20 to 30 years old, 6 feet tall, between 175 to 200 pounds, with a muscular build and medium- length brown hair, messy at the front and well groomed at the back.
He wore a blue, crew-neck T-shirt.
Police located Liu’s cellphone but now they want to find her computer, an IBM ThinkPad T400, believed to have been taken by the suspect.
It’s unclear what, if anything, police may be able to retrieve from the computer if it is found.
York University says Liu was a student at the school’s English Language Institute.
“Qian’s death is a terrible tragedy and our entire community mourns the loss of a promising young student,” the university’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Mamdouh Shoukri, said.
“Our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy go out to her family, friends and classmates.”
Anyone with information is urged to call Skubic at 4168087399, or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 416222TIPS (8477).
Police investigating if York student’s death result of lethal injection
Timothy Appleby and Kate Hammer
Globe and Mail Update
Published Monday, Apr. 18, 2011 1:52PM EDT
Last updated Monday, Apr. 18, 2011 6:06PM EDT
Toronto homicide detectives have released the name of a 23-year-old York University student from China whose death may have been glimpsed in her homeland via a Web camera.
But police remain unsure whether the suspicious death of Qian Liu from Beijing is in fact a murder. Toxicology tests currently under way are expected to shed further light.
Ms. Liu was found dead late Friday morning inside her basement apartment in a townhouse on Aldwinckle Heights, near Sentinel Road and Finch Avenue West. She was naked from the waist down and had been dead for several hours, but there were no obvious signs of trauma or sexual assault.
One possibility under scrutiny is that she had been administered a lethal injection.
Police on Monday were also making inquiries at an address on nearby Haynes Avenue.
About 10 hours before her body was found, Ms. Liu had been communicating with a male friend in China via her laptop when, still in view, she got up to answer a knock at her door. The visitor asked to use her cellphone, a struggle ensued and shortly after the intruder turned off the laptop, an IBM ThinkPad T400 that is now missing and thought to have been taken by the man when he left.
“The online witness became concerned and he contacted several people known to the deceased here in Canada, and appealed to them to go and track down her welfare,” Detective Sergeant Frank Skubic said. “It was as a result of somebody responding to that plea by the online witness that she was discovered.”
The witness described the man as white, between the ages of 20 and 30, around six feet tall and 175 to 200 pounds. He has a muscular build and medium-length brown hair, which was messy at the front and well-groomed at the back. He wore a blue crew neck T-shirt.
Police have identified the man, consider him a person of interest and are asking him to come forward to speak with them.
Ms. Liu was visiting Canada on a student-exchange visa and was enrolled at York U in a non-credited English ESL program.
An autopsy on Ms. Liu began Saturday but further studies, including toxicology tests, which can sometimes take several days, were deemed necessary.
For now, her death is viewed as “suspicious” but not necessarily a homicide.
Her parents were travelling from China to Toronto, police said.
