Homicide Investigation Launched Following CalArts Student's Mysterious Death

California authorities have initiated a homicide investigation into the death of Menghan Zhuang, a 23-year-old college student from the California Institute of the Arts. Zhuang was found dead in her off-campus apartment in Newhall, California, on February 4, after suffering multiple injuries to her upper body. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported that her roommate discovered her body, and first responders confirmed the tragic outcome when they arrived on the scene.

Officials stated during a press conference that this was not a random act of violence. Zhuang had returned home the previous night with a male companion who, according to video footage, was seen climbing out of a second-story window at her apartment the afternoon before her death. Investigators believe that she was familiar with the individual, as indicated by her having invited him into her home, and he is described as a man in his 20s of Asian descent, wearing a long-sleeve shirt and black pants. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether he has any affiliation with CalArts.

The investigation is ongoing, with the school expressing its support and noting its role in facilitating communication between police and Zhuang’s family, who are Chinese residents. Zhuang, who arrived in the United States on a student visa and was in her senior undergraduate year majoring in art, is mourned by the CalArts community, which is coming together to process her sudden loss and honor her legacy through a planned memorial. With a reward of $20,000 offered for information leading to an arrest, investigators are urging anyone with leads to come forward to help secure justice for Zhuang and offer her family a sense of closure.