Collegiate Times

Xin Yang, a 22-year-old graduate student from Beijing, China, was fatally stabbed in the Au Bon Pain cafe of the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown yesterday evening.

This story was updated at 11:00 p.m. Thursday, January 22.

Officer Nicole Irvine approached a grisly crime scene Wednesday evening when she encountered murder suspect Haiyang Zhu holding the severed head of victim Xin Yang in the Au Bon Pain cafe at the Graduate Life Center.

Related: Search affidavit PDF (Editor's note: Because of the graphic nature of the content in this document, readers should use discretion.)

Irvine, who Police Chief Wendell Flinchum said arrived at ABP less than one minute after a 911 call at 7:06 p.m., placed Zhu under arrest on sight. Yang was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene, according to the police report.

Zhu, a 25-year old international graduate student from Ningbo, China, was charged Thursday with premeditated first-degree murder for fatally stabbing Yang with a large kitchen knife.

Witnesses reported that just minutes before the attack, Zhu and Yang were sitting together at the cafe in calm conversation, Flinchum said.

Yang was a 22-year old graduate student from Beijing, and resident of room 201 in Donaldson Brown Hall.

At the time of his arrest, Irvine found multiple "edged weapons" inside Zhu's backpack.

Search warrants have been issued for Yang's Donaldson Brown room and Zhu's residence in the 900 block of University City Blvd.

Police have established Yang and Zhu knew each other before the assault, as she listed him as an emergency contact in university records. Authorities are searching both residences for evidence regarding the premeditated nature of the crime, including telephone records, diaries, additional weapons, documents establishing the victim and suspect's relationship, and electronic storage and media.

Zhu is currently being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail in downtown Christiansburg. During an arraignment hearing Wednesday afternoon, Zhu was appointed attorney Stephanie Cox, of Blacksburg. No further court dates have been scheduled at this time, and Cox did not immediately return calls from the Collegiate Times.

Zhu is a PhD student in the department of agriculture and applied economics. He arrived on campus in the fall of 2008 and was currently serving as Denise Mainville's graduate teaching assistant for her Marketing of Agricultural Products class.

AAEC Department head Kevin Boyle declined comment on Zhu's academic endeavors.

Mainville also declined comment Thursday on the fatal stabbing and her relationship with Zhu.

Yang came to Tech to pursue a master's degree in accounting within the Pamplin College of Business. She arrived on campus Jan. 8. University officials informed her mother of her death late Wednesday evening.

Yang and Zhu were among 477 Chinese graduate students enrolled at Tech this semester. Karen DePauw, dean of the graduate school, said that the incident would not affect foreign student recruitment.

"I don't think it will have a negative affect," Depauw said. "Like April 16, people will read about it but they will also know that we have quality academic programs and that we are dedicated to building community."

University President Charles Steger sent an e-mail to students late Wednesday evening reminding students that counseling is available to faculty, staff, and students. Free counseling was offered in the Jamestown room in Squires Student Center and in the GLC all day yesterday.

Steger added that he understands the emotions drawn following tragic events on campus after the April 16 shootings."Once again we are challenged as a community to offer support to one another as we process this recent event," Steger said. "Once again we will rise to the occasion. At times like this we are reminded how important friends and family are during a tragedy. We will continue to do everything we can to support the Virginia Tech family."

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine expressed his condolences to the Tech community in a statement released Thursday.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Xin Yang today -- and with the broader Virginia Tech community," Kaine said. "The tragic attack on campus this week has no doubt revived terrible memories for countless members of the Hokie family."

David Grant and Gordon Block contributed to this report