The Grad Student Murder

Summary

Podcast Summary: "The Grad Student Murder"

Podcast Information:

• Title: 48 Hours
• Host/Author: CBS News
• Episode: The Grad Student Murder
• Release Date: May 26, 2025

---

Introduction to the Case

"The Grad Student Murder" delves into the tragic and complex case of Kevin Jeong, a 26-year-old Yale graduate student whose life was abruptly taken through a series of violent shootings in New Haven, Connecticut. Over a span of two months, four shootings culminated in Kevin's murder, sparking a high-profile investigation that would ultimately uncover dark secrets and lead to a dramatic arrest.

Background: Kevin Jeong's Life

Kevin Jeong was a dedicated and beloved member of the Yale community. Originally from Chicago, he was a student at Yale's School of the Environment, studying molecular biophysics and biochemistry. Beyond his academic pursuits, Kevin was deeply committed to his family and faith. Pastor Gregory Hendrickson of Trinity Baptist Church noted, "He was just very happy person, very genuine soul."

Kevin's personal life was marked by love and commitment. Just a week before his untimely death, he had posted his engagement to Zion Perry, a fellow scientist from Pennsylvania who was pursuing her PhD at Yale. Zion recalled, “He was so in love with Zion. Like, everything was about Zion. He really loved her.”

The Shooting Spree in New Haven

The sequence of violent events began on December 11, 2020, with a shooting on Huntington Street where five gunshots rattled the community. Despite the house being occupied, no one was injured, though multiple residents were struck by gunfire. Detective David Zulewski notes, "There were five rounds that were shot, and it was occupied. Fortunately, nobody was hit" (00:03:01).

Subsequent shootings occurred on January 15, February 5, and February 6, 2021, each marked by similar patterns: the use of a .45 caliber firearm and sightings of a dark-colored SUV. The cumulative threat raised concerns among officers that someone would eventually be harmed.

The Murder of Kevin Jeong

On the night of February 6, 2021, around 8:30 PM, the tranquility of the East Rock neighborhood was shattered when Kevin was shot eight times at Lawrence and Nicholl Street. Detective Zulewski describes the scene: "Kevin's body was still on scene covered in a white sheet" (00:06:25). Witnesses provided harrowing accounts of a dark SUV reversing towards Kevin's parked Prius, followed by relentless gunfire. Surveillance footage captured the harrowing moments leading to Kevin's death, showing the SUV departing swiftly after the attack.

Early Investigation Efforts

Detectives Zulewski and Cunningham faced significant challenges initially, with scant leads linking the shootings to Kevin's murder. The presence of the dark SUV and matching shell casings across all four incidents suggested a potential connection, but motive remained elusive. "It could have been a road rage incident that turned a little too violent," Zulewski speculated (00:12:27).

The investigation took a pivotal turn when Kinshin Pan, a 29-year-old MIT graduate student from Malden, Massachusetts, became a person of interest. A routine traffic stop at a scrap metal yard revealed a dark-colored SUV matching the description seen at the crime scenes. Although Pan appeared calm and cooperative, subtle clues like a yellow jacket linked him to the recent shootings.

Breakthrough: Linking Pan to the Crime

Further evidence emerged when Pan's vehicle was connected to the shell casings found at the murder scene. Additionally, forensic tests revealed Pan’s DNA on the gun and ammo found outside an Arby's restaurant near the Best Western hotel where Pan was later found. Kevin's blood was also discovered on Pan's hat and gear shift, strengthening the case against him.

Detective Zulewski recounted, "The casings matched, but Kevin was the only person murdered, and detectives didn't know why" (00:12:19). This revelation shifted the investigation from a series of unrelated shootings to a targeted attack.

The Nationwide Manhunt

Pan's suspicious activities included disabling GPS systems in several vehicles and making multiple calls for assistance, which investigators believed were tactics to mislead the authorities. The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force intensified their efforts, tracking Pan's movements across states. Despite initial setbacks, such as Pan's parents appearing uncooperative and suspicious financial activities, the task force persisted.

A critical break occurred when Pan's mother contacted a gas station clerk in North Carolina, leading detectives to a boarding house near Alabama State University. A coordinated raid resulted in Pan's arrest, where he was found with $20,000 in cash, multiple SIM cards, and a computer, further implicating him in the murder.

Arrest and Evidence

Kinshin Pan was arrested on February 29, 2024, three years after Kevin's murder. Despite the absence of the actual murder weapon, the overwhelming circumstantial evidence—including DNA matches and the license plate imprint—sealed his fate. Pan entered a guilty plea in exchange for a 35-year prison sentence without parole.

Detective Zulewski emphasized, "If he hadn't been stuck on the railroad tracks, this still might not be a solved case" (00:42:05), highlighting the critical role of that fateful night in unraveling the mystery.

Trial and Sentencing

During sentencing in April, Pan maintained his innocence, yet the court found him guilty based on the weight of the evidence. Victims' families, particularly Kevin's mother, Linda Liu, expressed profound grief and condemnation of the lenient sentence. Liu poignantly stated, "35 years in prison is too short" (00:43:38), underscoring the lasting impact of Kevin's loss.

Aftermath and Reflections

The closure of the case brought mixed emotions to the community. While justice was served, the unanswered question of Pan's motives left lingering sorrow. Kevin's friends and family grappled with the loss of a beloved individual whose life was cut short by inexplicable violence.

Detective Zulewski reflected on the case's resolution: "We never forgot you," he stated, honoring Kevin's memory (00:47:14). The case stands as a testament to relentless investigative efforts and the enduring quest for justice amidst tragedy.

Conclusion

"The Grad Student Murder" offers a poignant exploration of a senseless act of violence and the intricate path to uncovering the truth. Through meticulous reporting and compelling narratives, CBS News' "48 Hours" illuminates the devastating ripple effects of crime on individuals and communities alike.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Detective David Zulewski [02:08]: "The first shooting occurs on December 11, 2020 at Huntington street in New Haven."

• Kevin Jeong [04:08]: "He's such a cutie. ... He was so in love with Zion."

• Detective David Zulewski [06:34]: "What we could see were gunshot wounds to his upper body and to his head."

• Zion Perry [17:41]: "They had gone ice fishing and had dinner at her house."

• Detective David Zulewski [28:34]: "The first thing I want to know is who he is and if there's any connection between him and Kevin."

• Detective David Zulewski [33:03]: "He would tell them all the same thing. He said he's going for a test drive... going on a camping trip."

• Detective David Zulewski [42:27]: "Overwhelming evidence."

---

Closing Thoughts:

This episode of "48 Hours" not only chronicles the harrowing journey of solving a murder but also underscores the profound human elements intertwined with criminal investigations. The story of Kevin Jeong serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the relentless pursuit of justice by those sworn to protect it.

Transcript

[Narrator]

When temperatures start rising. Do you ever convince yourself that you need a whole new wardrobe? Well, you could give your daily uniform an upgrade with Quint's. Their pieces are easy, elevated and can make you feel more put together without even trying. Quint's offers 100% European linen shorts and dresses from $30, plus swimwear, Italian leather platform sandals and so much more. The best part? Everything with quints is priced 50 to 80% less than what you'd find at brands. By working directly with top artisans and cutting out the middlemen, Quince gives you luxury without the markup. And Quince says it only works with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices and premium fabrics and finishes. Treat your closet to a little summer glow up with Quince. Go to quince.com 48hours for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quints.com 48hours if you're an experienced pet owner, you already know that having a pet is 25% belly rubs, 25% yelling drop it. And 50% groaning at the bill from every pet visit. Which is why Lemonade Pet Insurance is tailor made for your pet and can.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Save you up to 90% on vet bills.

[Narrator]

It can help cover checkups, emergencies, diagnostics, basically all the stuff that makes your.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Bank account get nervous.

[Narrator]

Claims are filed super easily through the Lemonade app and half get settled instantly. Get a'@lemonade.com pet and they'll help cover the vet bill for whatever your pet swallowed.

[Detective David Zulewski]

After you yelled drop it.

[Narrator]

You start dealing with a series of shootings that's a little out of the ordinary. Take me through that.

[Detective David Zulewski]

The first shooting occurs on December 11, 2020 at Huntington street in New Haven. There's a report of five gunshots in the area. The residents were struck multiple times. The house was occupied, but nobody was hit. When police responded, they located multiple.45 caliber shell casings at the scene. There's a second shooting that occurs January 15, 2021. The third shooting occurred February 5th. A fourth incident occurred on February 6th. It's another residence. It was occupied, but nobody was hurt inside. There were five rounds that were shot and was occupied. Fortunately, nobody was hit. The residents were struck multiple times by gunfire. Nobody was injured. Patrol officers located one.45 caliber located multiple casings.45 caliber.45 caliber shell casings were located at the.

[Narrator]

Four shootings over a few months. Do they have anything in common the.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Commandant mayor was the caliber of the gun that was used.45 caliber casings that were located at all four of those scenes. And in the last two shootings, there was a description of a dark colored SUV.

[Narrator]

Are officers concerned that at some point someone is going to get hurt?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Yes.

[Kevin Jeong]

8:30 Saturday night, residents in the East.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Rock neighborhood heard the distinct sound of gunfire. On February 6th at around 8:30pm we get the report of a person shot at Lawrence and Nicholl street in New Haven. That person was later identified as Kevin Zhang and was pronounced deceased. On the scene, we located eight.45 caliber shell casings. There were a few 911 callers that saw a dark colored SUV flee the area. A sense of shock and sadness has.

[Kevin Jeong]

Settled on the Yale University community after.

[Detective David Zulewski]

The Saturday night shooting death of grad student Kevin Gian.

[Kevin Jeong]

What's up, everyone?

[Narrator]

Welcome to another episode of Fitness with Kevin.

[Kevin Jeong]

I'm Kevin.

[Detective David Zulewski]

It still doesn't feel real, you know.

[Narrator]

Like, it still doesn't feel real.

[Detective David Zulewski]

He's such a cutie.

[Narrator]

He was just very happy person, very genuine soul.

[Detective David Zulewski]

The victim was a student at Yale's School of the Environment. Originally from Chicago.

[Kevin Jeong]

He was an army vet who posted.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Posted on Facebook just a week ago.

[Kevin Jeong]

His joy in getting engaged.

[Narrator]

He was so in love with Zion. He was just like, oh, Zion this and Zion that. Like, everything was about Zion. He really loved her. So you guys walk up to the scene. What do you see?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Kevin's body. He was laying on his right side. His feet were on the stop line here, and his head was towards the first line of the crosswalk. And then we see the casings. There's a shell casing by the bottom of the S and a few feet from the P. And then there were six more spread out by the first crosswalk line. We could see gunshot wounds to his upper body and to his head. There were some shots that were at close range.

[Narrator]

There was something personal about this.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Yes. We'll use Facebook as a tool to try and get a little background on an individual who they're friends with.

[Narrator]

And so you're going down the list of names. Nothing, nothing, nothing.

[Detective David Zulewski]

And then you're like, whoa, there's our connection. Ann Marie Green reports the Ivy League murder.

[Narrator]

It was a cold night in February 2021 when lead detective David Zoeski and his colleague Stephen Cunningham arrived at the crime scene.

[Detective David Zulewski]

The patrol officers had already been out there canvassing the area. They were knocking on doors, looking for anyone that might have seen anything or heard anything. The crime scene detectives were starting to locate all the shell casings.

[Narrator]

26 year old Yale graduate student Kevin Jeong was lying in the street, shot eight times.

[Detective David Zulewski]

His body was still on scene covered in a white sheet.

[Narrator]

When you saw the body, what did you see?

[Detective David Zulewski]

What we could see were gunshot wounds to his upper body and to his head. And you can see stippling on the left side of his head.

[Narrator]

Stippling is a burn pattern caused by gunpowder exploding from a weapon fired at close range. About 100ft down the street, there was.

[Detective David Zulewski]

A Prius just parked in the middle of the road with his hazards on.

[Narrator]

They quickly discovered the Prius belonged to Kevin. Crime scene detectives noticed a peculiar bit of damage that suggested it had been hit from behind.

[Detective David Zulewski]

There was an impression that was left on the back bumper that looked like a license plate holder.

[Narrator]

So this is like a fender mender, it's not a violent crash?

[Detective David Zulewski]

No, there's not much damage.

[Narrator]

One witness told detectives she heard the sound of an accident and went to the window to look.

[Detective David Zulewski]

When they look out, they see a Prius come to a stop and put his hazards on. They see a dark colored SUV pull up behind it and then reverse back towards the intersection. They see the operator of the Prius walk out and approach the suv most likely to see how they were exchange insurance information. When the operator gets to the black suv, they hear a round of gunshots and they see the muzzle flash from the gun from the driver's side of the suv.

[Narrator]

Another witness heard the first round of gunshots and went to her window.

[Detective David Zulewski]

When she looks outside, she sees a subject wearing all black standing over another individual who's laying on the ground. She hears another round of gunshots and she can see the muzzle flash from the gun as he's firing.

[Narrator]

She sees someone standing over another person. Which means the victim is already down and they're still shooting.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Yes.

[Narrator]

What did you think?

[Detective David Zulewski]

There's a little bit more to it. It seems a little bit more personal when you have someone that's laying on the ground and not moving. What would cause someone to continue firing at them?

[Narrator]

The detectives were able to confirm these accounts when they got a look at video from a neighbor's security system.

[Detective David Zulewski]

It was located on the inside of a window facing outward.

[Narrator]

Because most of the frame is a reflection of the interior of the house. We've zoomed in to focus on what's happening on the street. A warning. This may be difficult to listen to.

[Detective David Zulewski]

We hear the collision between the two cars and then that's when you see Kevin's Prius pull into frame and the SUV pulls up behind him and then reverses out of frame. You see Kevin exit his vehicle and then walk out of frame to approach the suv. You then hear two gunshots, a scream, and then six more gunshots.

[Narrator]

Moments later, the video shows the SUV driving off into the night. Can you make out any details when it comes to the suv?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Unfortunately not. You could kind of get the idea of the potential make and model of it with the tail lights, but you couldn't discern any identifying features.

[Narrator]

Investigators soon felt the dark SUV and the.45 caliber shells recovered at the scene pointed to a potential link to those earlier shootings around the area that police had been investigating. Four times over a two month span, someone fired shots into family homes. The fourth incident occurred just one hour before Kevin Jeong's murder.

[Detective David Zulewski]

We had detectives in the bureau looking into each of the incidents to see if there's any more of a connection to link them.

[Kevin Jeong]

Two bullets came in through this window and ended up in this wall.

[Narrator]

Paul and Nyrie White's home was the target of the third shooting.

[Kevin Jeong]

We had just finished dinner. I had a fire going.

[Narrator]

Nyrie, a schoolteacher, headed upstairs to take a shower. Paul, an educator with degrees from Yale, Harvard, and Columbia University, was sitting downstairs.

[Kevin Jeong]

All of a sudden, something comes through this window. Then a second bullet came through. You heard the pop and the glass going everywhere with that one.

[Narrator]

Paul shouted a warning to Nyrine, get down.

[Kevin Jeong]

Someone's shooting.

[Narrator]

And then I heard bang, pop again. And I turn and I literally saw the frame of the door just splintered. And then she yells back at you.

[Kevin Jeong]

Right, that someone's shooting upstairs.

[Narrator]

It was over in a matter of moments and no one was injured. Do you feel lucky? Yes. Absolutely.

[Kevin Jeong]

Absolutely.

[Narrator]

Absolutely. Detectives interviewed the Whites and the occupants of the other houses.

[Detective David Zulewski]

There didn't seem to be any connection between them.

[Narrator]

And none of them, investigators say, had any connection to Kevin Zhang. But the shell casings from all the shootings would later tell a different story.

[Detective David Zulewski]

When the casings are sent to the lab, they all came back as matches to the casings found at the homicide.

[Narrator]

The casings matched, but Kevin was the only person murdered, and detectives didn't know why.

[Detective David Zulewski]

It could have been a road rage incident that turned a little too violent.

[Narrator]

Or was Kevin Jeong targeted?

[Detective David Zulewski]

The car accident was deliberate.

[Kevin Jeong]

To get him out of the vehicle possibly seemed like it was planned.

[Detective David Zulewski]

And if he was specifically targeted, what could have happened in his life to drive someone to do this? This season, let your shoes do the talking.

[Kevin Jeong]

Designer shoe warehouse is packed with fresh.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Styles that speak to your whole vibe.

[Kevin Jeong]

Without saying a word.

[Detective David Zulewski]

From cool sneakers that look good with.

[Kevin Jeong]

Everything to easy sandals you'll want to.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Wear on repeat, DSW has you covered. Find a shoe for every you from the brands you love like Birkenstock, Nike, Adidas, New Balance and more. Head to your DSW store or visit dsw.com today. This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. Not everyone is careful with your personal information, which might explain why there's a victim of identity theft every five seconds in the U.S. fortunately, there's LifeLock. LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a US based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year by visiting lifelock.com podcast terms apply.

[Narrator]

It was late when Detectives Zaweski and Cunningham left the crime scene on February 6. They went to Kevin Jeong's home looking to find a family member to notify about what had happened. His mother, Linda Liu, came to the door. It's gotta be the hardest conversation.

[Detective David Zulewski]

It is. They always are. Hi Mom, Happy birthday. You want to be direct and up front and make it clear, as horrific as it is for them. So we explained to her that he was shot and killed in the area of Lawrence and Nicholl street in New Haven.

[Narrator]

Can she even comprehend that?

[Detective David Zulewski]

She's absolutely devastated. She falls to the ground crying.

[Narrator]

The detectives wanted to know everything about Kevin and why he may have been targeted. That night, Linda began to tell them about her son.

[Detective David Zulewski]

It was just the two of them and he was actually supporting her. She told us that he was a grad student at Yale University and was in the Army National Guard.

[Narrator]

Kevin was deeply religious. He and his mother were part of the congregation at Trinity Baptist Church. Pastor Gregory Hendrickson knew them both and says that Linda, a divorced single parent, got Kevin through a tough childhood where he was often bullied.

[Detective David Zulewski]

She was very committed to sort of seeing him come through and eventually he thrived on the other side of that. I think he had a sense of.

[Narrator]

Honoring his mom by as she had cared for him when he was a child, caring for her as she was getting older. Kevin bought this house in 2019 and Hendrickson says he invited his mother to come live with him.

[Detective David Zulewski]

She was living alone. She was living on the other side of the country. She didn't have a lot of family support around her and he wanted her to come and be with him. During his studies at Yale.

[Narrator]

Police also learned that Kevin had recently gotten engaged to his girlfriend of a year. Zion Perry. She posted the proposal on Facebook. This was just one week before he was murdered. He was so in love with Zion. You could tell he didn't even have to really say too much. Naja Hubbard, who served with Kevin in the Army National Guard. Oh, my gosh. So I remember one time he was on the phone with her, and I was like, wow. Like, you could hear the genuineness and his love towards her. And I was like, wow, I hope I find someone like that. Zion Perry grew up in Pennsylvania, where she was an honors high school student. The couple met In January of 2020, when Zion was still an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, mit.

[Detective David Zulewski]

He said, you know, I'm at her Christian retreat, and she's very kind, and we enjoy talking and just have great conversations together. Then she came to do her PhD at Yale.

[Narrator]

They clearly shared a lot in common.

[Detective David Zulewski]

They both loved nature.

[Kevin Jeong]

I mean, Zion's a scientist.

[Detective David Zulewski]

He was studying molecular biophysics and biochemistry. So, you know, he was studying in the school, the environment. They're both brilliant and hardworking students, and yet they didn't feel like their accomplishments.

[Narrator]

Were what defined them at the deepest level. Zulewski and Cunningham then interviewed an emotional Zion. She told them she and Kevin had spent the day together.

[Detective David Zulewski]

They had gone ice fishing and had dinner at her house. And then he left her house around 8:30 that night.

[Narrator]

Kevin didn't get far. His Prius was struck by the dark SUV just two blocks from Zion's house, close enough for Zion to hear the gunshots that followed.

[Detective David Zulewski]

She remembers hearing the gunshots, but she thought there was a good five or ten minutes after he'd left to when she heard the gunshots. So she didn't think he was anywhere near the area and didn't think twice about him potentially being involved in any way.

[Narrator]

Did she have any idea who would have done something like this at that point?

[Kevin Jeong]

I don't know. Nothing that she told us that she could think of.

[Narrator]

After speaking with Zion, detectives were no closer to figuring out why Kevin would be a target.

[Kevin Jeong]

Seemed like just an innocent, innocent guy.

[Narrator]

Did you think this was gonna be a tough case, though, that night?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Yes, we had a little bit, but there wasn't a lot to go on.

[Kevin Jeong]

I just had somebody drive through my yard here. How you doing?

[Narrator]

But just 15 hours after the shooting.

[Kevin Jeong]

What are you doing back here?

[Narrator]

They got a huge break.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Little did we know that we'd get the phone call the next day.

[Kevin Jeong]

I just got in here accidentally, accidentally.

[Detective David Zulewski]

And I got stuck, and it was.

[Kevin Jeong]

Like, okay, wow.

[Narrator]

News of Kevin's murder spread among his loved ones and. And closest friends. I was at home and I actually got a phone call from another soldier. And she was saying, I know you guys were close. And her voice cracked. And she told me that he had passed away. And I was like not comprehending what was going on. So I text him and I was like, answer your phone, please. And obviously he never answered me. Lieutenant Hubbard reached out to Captain Jamila Aye. And if sharing the news about Kevin wasn't tragic enough, someone posted the chilling video of his murder online. And his fellow soldiers now saw and heard Kevin's final moments alive. To this day, I can still hear him. Yeah, him screaming. I was like, why did I listen to that? Detectives Zoezki and Cunningham were back at their desks in headquarters, struggling for answers and leads to pursue. Day two. You get a phone call?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Yes.

[Narrator]

The call from a sergeant at nearby North Haven Police Department was urgent.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Two incidents that happened in North Haven the night before. And then earlier that morning.

[Narrator]

It began with a 911 call from a local scrap metal yard around 9pm, less than a half hour after Kevin was killed. I'm the security guard at Simmons Metal Management.

[Kevin Jeong]

I just had somebody drive through my yard here. They didn't know where they were going, so I've been chasing them around the.

[Narrator]

Yard and they just pulled way in.

[Kevin Jeong]

The back off the property. Like a black minivan, SUV type of thing.

[Narrator]

Police body cameras were rolling when Sgt. Jeffrey Mills and Officer Marcus R. Tais spotted that vehicle stuck on snow covered railroad tracks not far from the rear exit of the Sims scrap metal yard. They approached the driver.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Stuck.

[Kevin Jeong]

What are you doing back here though? I just got in here accidentally and I got stuck. Is there any wait to get us stuck here? The only thing I could do is call your tow truck. Okay, cool. Thanks.

[Narrator]

The motorist was 29 year old Kinshin Pan from Malden, Massachusetts.

[Kevin Jeong]

Okay. Do you have your driver's license on you?

[Narrator]

Yes.

[Kevin Jeong]

Registration?

[Narrator]

His driver's license and criminal background were clean. During the encounter, Sgt. Mills noticed a yellow jacket on the passenger seat. He also saw a blue bag and a briefcase in the backseat, but not much else.

[Kevin Jeong]

He took a wrong turn, he got lost and he thought the jeep was probably chasing him, the security guy.

[Narrator]

Because Sergeant Mills hadn't heard about Kevin's murder, he wasn't particularly concerned. So it's nothing, you think?

[Kevin Jeong]

Yeah, he's.

[Narrator]

He doesn't look like he's trying to scrap anything.

[Kevin Jeong]

I mean, no, I've been on the tracks. I don't Know how many times with vehicles that were, you know, called in a suspicious or whatever, but kids go back there. People always come down there, according to the security guard, and they turn around in the front lot and they leave because they missed the highway or something.

[Narrator]

Did he look nervous?

[Kevin Jeong]

He wasn't nervous at all. He was perfectly calm.

[Detective David Zulewski]

So what do you recommend I do? I mean, if I can get it off the track. I prefer to drive it myself.

[Kevin Jeong]

It was just like, oh, sorry, I got stuck on the tracks. Can you help me get off?

[Narrator]

So how about you get a hotel for the night?

[Kevin Jeong]

We'll have the tow truck drop you.

[Narrator]

Off the hotel, you pay for a credit card and you can arrange picking.

[Kevin Jeong]

Up the car in the morning. Okay, let's get the hotel then. Yeah, let's do that. If it is difficult, that's probably the safest thing to do.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Okay.

[Kevin Jeong]

Okay. The tow truck came. It took a little work, but it got it off the tracks. He gave Mr. Pan a ride back to Best Western and I cleared the call like any other call.

[Narrator]

But hours later there was another call.

[Kevin Jeong]

To 91 1-Feb. 7, around 11am Hello?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Can I help you?

[Kevin Jeong]

This is the police department. Hello.

[Narrator]

I work at Arby here in North Haven. We found a gun and probably like 10 boxes of bullets.

[Kevin Jeong]

An employee found a couple of bags on the grass at the north entrance here. When they brought them in, there were three bags. This one, that one and this. Got it. Took a better look at the bags that it came in and here's a blue retail bag with the Massachusetts logo on it and a small leather black briefcase. And it instantly hit me. These are the bags that were in Mr. Pond's car the night before.

[Narrator]

The Arby's was right next door to the Best Western where Penn was dropped off. And by then Mills had heard about the movie Murder in New Haven. What's going through your brain at that point?

[Kevin Jeong]

Knowing that New Haven had a homicide, they were looking for a dark colored GMC suv. Now we've got a firearm. And then Officer Bianchi shows me a yellow jacket that was in it. And the suspect was wearing a yellow jacket.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Jacket.

[Kevin Jeong]

And when we got here, I went in to the front desk and spoke with the attendant there and asked if quaks on Pan had checked in, which they checked it and said yes, he did. I mean, he hasn't checked out yet.

[Narrator]

That's when Mills alerted New Haven Homicide about Pan. Do you immediately think there might be a connection with the homicide?

[Detective David Zulewski]

There's a very good chance the vehicle matched and the items that were left behind at the Arby's restaurant. It included a.45 caliber handgun and that matched the casings that were up the scene.

[Narrator]

Zulewski immediately sent detectives to meet Mills at the Best Western.

[Kevin Jeong]

So we got a key, went to room 276. We knocked on the door, we entered the room. The room was clean, nothing in it. It didn't appear that anybody stayed in it for the night. At first we were like, we lost them.

[Narrator]

New Haven police sent investigators, including Detective Joe Galvin, to track down Pan. Galvin went to Malden, Massachusetts, where Pan lived with his parents and was a graduate student at MIT right outside of Boston.

[Kevin Jeong]

Very affluent homes. There was no one there when we knocked on the door. So the day after the homicide, we were unsure if maybe the family was on vacation out of state, out of the country.

[Narrator]

But police were also worried.

[Kevin Jeong]

Were they given the heinous act that occurred in New Haven the day before? Were they potentially kidnapped by their own son? Were they victims of another horrible crime?

[Narrator]

This episode is brought to you by Greenlight.

[Kevin Jeong]

Get this. Adults with financial literacy skills have 82%.

[Narrator]

More wealth than those who don't. From swimming lessons to piano classes, us.

[Kevin Jeong]

Parents invest in so many things to.

[Narrator]

Enrich our kids lives. But are we investing in their future financial success? With Greenlight, you can teach your kids financial literacy skills like earning, saving and investing. And this investment costs less than that. After school treat start prioritizing their financial.

[Kevin Jeong]

Education and future today with a risk.

[Narrator]

Free trial at greenlight.com Spotify, greenlight.com Spotify/Spotify.

[Kevin Jeong]

You never know who's going to show.

[Narrator]

Up on for the Love with Jen Hatmaker.

[Kevin Jeong]

From Mel Robbins to Tig Notaro, Kate.

[Narrator]

Bowler to Stanley Tucci, I'm Jen Hatmaker and every week my dear friend Amy and I dive deep with incredible guests.

[Kevin Jeong]

Who make us laugh and cry and.

[Narrator]

Think a little bigger about life in the middle years. For the love where great stories meet unforgettable people, follow and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big Wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments.

[Narrator]

But that's weird.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Okay, one judgment anyway. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Narrator]

Of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] with Kinshin Pan and his parents missing from their home, Detective David Zulewski turned to his computer, searching for Pan.

[Detective David Zulewski]

The first thing I want to know is who he is and if there's any connection between him and Kevin. I see that he has a Facebook page.

[Narrator]

What was his page like?

[Detective David Zulewski]

There was not much activity at all. His last post was back in 2016, and he had a few photos with some other students, but that was it.

[Narrator]

Is that when you first found out that he's an MIT grad student?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Yes. That was the first time we got the connection between him and mit. So I check his friends list to see if Kevin is in there.

[Narrator]

Is he?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Kevin is not listed, but I do notice that Zion Perry is listed.

[Narrator]

Zion Perry, Kevin's fiance, who also went to mit.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Now we have a connection. I got in contact with her. She explained that they had met at MIT back in 2019, and they were more associates than friends.

[Narrator]

Nothing romantic?

[Detective David Zulewski]

No. She said that they never dated. They never had any romantic relationship. The last time she spoke with him was May of 2020. He reached out to her through Facebook messenger to congratulate her on graduating. He asked to FaceTime with her, and she politely declined it.

[Narrator]

She must have been wondering, why you asking me so many questions about this guy? What'd you say to her?

[Detective David Zulewski]

She was. And that's when I told her that he was a person of interest in this, and she was completely shocked. He was barely a part of her life, and why he would have been involved with this in any way.

[Narrator]

What did she have posted on her page?

[Detective David Zulewski]

The last things that she had posted were the engagement between her and Kevin.

[Narrator]

Oh, yes.

[Kevin Jeong]

Yes, definitely.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Wow.

[Narrator]

This is so pretty. Wow.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Wow.

[Narrator]

Are you starting to formulate a theory about the case that goes a little beyond possible road rage?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Yes. It did seem like there was a secret obsession of Pan's going on behind the scenes that Kevin wasn't aware of and that Zion wasn't aware of.

[Narrator]

The next day, Zion Perry joined Kevin's mother, Linda Liu, and father, Ming Shenzhong, and nearly 700 people on a virtual vigil for Kevin. Zion addressed the mourners. One day I will get to see Kevin again.

[Kevin Jeong]

Yeah, in heaven and when everything is made right.

[Narrator]

I thank Ms. Liu and Mr. Jiang.

[Kevin Jeong]

For raising such a fine young man and for bringing him into the world.

[Narrator]

He gave me a lot of joy. He's a very sorrowful, warmer boy, taking.

[Kevin Jeong]

Care of me, and I miss him. He's a nice boy. Everybody likes him.

[Narrator]

Thank you. Thank You. You. All that week, Pastor Hendrickson eulogized Kevin at his funeral.

[Detective David Zulewski]

We come to you today remembering Kevin.

[Narrator]

Grateful for his life, grieving over his loss. Zion read a poem Kevin wrote to her. It began, if this world falls apart, it will be all right, because we.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Have each other's hearts.

[Narrator]

A medical officer also trained to operate tanks, Kevin was buried with full military honors just two days before his 27th birthday on Valentine's Day. Meanwhile, Detective Galvin, a member of the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Connecticut, along with Supervisor Matthew Duffy and Deputy Marshal Kevin Perot, are utilizing their vast resources to urgently gather intelligence on Pan.

[Kevin Jeong]

MIT graduate, not socially active. Degree in computer science. Grad student in artificial intelligence.

[Narrator]

Lawyer William Gerains.

[Kevin Jeong]

Very smart.

[Narrator]

Genius.

[Kevin Jeong]

Genius. Socially, not a genius.

[Narrator]

The marshals discovered Pan had three active phones. And they noticed that in the months before Kevin was killed, Pan was using one of those phones to contact car dealerships.

[Kevin Jeong]

He would tell them all the same thing. He said he's going for a test drive. I believe he said he's going on a camping trip.

[Narrator]

Investigators were able to match the date of Pan's test drives with each of the.45 caliber shootings in New Haven, including Kevin's murder. It was all part of a plan. Investigators say they believe that Pan likely fired shots into those homes to ultimately mislead them, hoping they would think Kevin's murder was just another random shooting.

[Kevin Jeong]

He planned it and he knew we'd be looking at these other things.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Yeah, he did his best to. Yeah, to mislead us. And now we knew that, yes, this wasn't a random incident out there, that he was targeted.

[Narrator]

They also discovered that not long after Kevin's murder, Pan called his parents and they made a cash withdrawal of about $1,000.

[Kevin Jeong]

They had tremendous assets somehow, from Shanghai, access to large sums of money, several million dollars.

[Narrator]

The marshals zeroed in on Pan's parents and picked up a ping on their phone at this North Carolina gas station.

[Kevin Jeong]

Our task force found it on the ground.

[Narrator]

The cell phone was crushed.

[Kevin Jeong]

Yeah, like a car ran over it.

[Narrator]

Three days later, investigators caught up with Pan's parents driving near Atlanta, Georgia.

[Kevin Jeong]

Georgia State Police pulled him over.

[Narrator]

He's not in the vehicle?

[Kevin Jeong]

Nope.

[Narrator]

Police told them they suspected their son had killed someone. Were they shocked?

[Kevin Jeong]

No.

[Narrator]

They weren't shocked that their son was being investigated in connection with a cold blooded murder.

[Kevin Jeong]

They may have been there, but they didn't lead onto us at all. They didn't lead onto us at all. The father said our son called, said he was in Connecticut and needed help. He asked us to bring cash. Then once we picked him up in Connecticut, he took the wheel. And then they take this very long drive down south.

[Narrator]

Van's father didn't say why his son was heading in that direction.

[Kevin Jeong]

And he says he's quiet, acting weird, doesn't really say what's going on. They make it down to Georgia, he pulls over and he gets out of the car and walks away. He said no words to them, just walked away from the car. That was their story.

[Narrator]

Pan's parents agreed to be photographed. Pan's mother declined to answer any questions without an attorney, but she later volunteered that her son walked away from her and his father and likely killed himself. The marshals were skeptical.

[Kevin Jeong]

We knew after talking to the parents that they would go to jail for him. Knowing the Degree that the parents were helping him and his resources, his intelligence, we had to take a different approach on it. We needed to focus in on the parents because they probably would lead us to him. They would go to the ends of the earth to help support and hide him.

[Narrator]

And what does that mean?

[Kevin Jeong]

Patience.

[Narrator]

And they would need plenty of it. Weeks went by without an arrest. They wondered if they missed something and if their murder suspect had outmaneuvered them. What do you think of Pan's plan to mislead investigators? See more of the evidence@ 48hours.com.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Ladies, you'll end up shopping for your guy's deodorant.

[Narrator]

Right? So try Degree's original Cool Rush.

[Detective David Zulewski]

You see, last year, Degree changed the formula and men were mad. One guy even started a petition. So Degree admitted they messed up and brought the original Cool Rush scent back.

[Narrator]

It's clean, crisp, and actually smells like.

[Kevin Jeong]

Someone you want to cuddle.

[Detective David Zulewski]

And it's in Walmart, Target and other stores now for under four. So toss one in your cart and.

[Narrator]

Find out why it's the best selling.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Men'S antiperspirant for the last decade.

[Narrator]

Degree Cool Rush is back.

[Detective David Zulewski]

And it smells like victory.

[Narrator]

This episode is brought to you by. Enterprise Mobility. From fleet management to flexible truck rentals to technology solutions, Enterprise Mobility helps businesses find the right mobility solutions so they can find new opportunities. Because if your business is on the road, they want to make sure it's on the road to success. Enterprise Mobility moving you moves the world. Find your [e-mail] Five weeks pass without a solid lead on the MIT student wanted for Kevin Zhang's murder. U.S. marshals are leading a nationwide manhunt this morning for the man charged in the murder of a Yale grad student. You give me a real sense of the pressure.

[Kevin Jeong]

Yeah, because this became so high profile so fast, it was. It was just heightened.

[Narrator]

Then the manhunt for Pan suddenly heated up. Police said his mom told them she suspected her son killed himself. But they noticed his parents had a lot of banking activity.

[Kevin Jeong]

We start to see large sums of cash being withdrawn.

[Narrator]

How much?

[Kevin Jeong]

At that time, it was about 5,000, 10,000. That's a large sum of money that someone could use to get out of the country. They still have family in China.

[Narrator]

And then Pan's parents rented a car.

[Kevin Jeong]

They start traveling south again.

[Narrator]

But the vehicle's GPS system, the most marshals were tracking, went dark. Did they turn it off? It was disabled by then. Investigators said they knew that their son had disabled gps systems in several cars he drove in the run up to Kevin's murder.

[Kevin Jeong]

Counter tactics. Counter tactics.

[Narrator]

At one point, surveillance cameras at this Georgia mall recorded Pan's father purchasing a computer.

[Kevin Jeong]

Now, this is during COVID so everybody has their masks on. We see the father walk in, and probably about 10 minutes later, we see an individual fitting the description of the son. So the story of the suicide out in the woods, that's not true. So from there, the parents end up traveling back north. Once they're in Connecticut, the GPS comes back on. We felt the clock was. Was really ticking.

[Narrator]

And it ticked away for nearly two more months until May 4, 2021, when Pan's parents drove off for a third time. But there was a difference.

[Kevin Jeong]

They were traveling with another couple.

[Narrator]

What do you think the deal was with the other couple?

[Kevin Jeong]

Make it appear that it's a regular trip. No big deal. We're just going on a trip to meet some friends. We're not here to help our son.

[Narrator]

Pan's parents and their unwitting companions were eventually placed under surveillance at a North Carolina hot where marshals interviewed a clerk after the Pan's checked out.

[Kevin Jeong]

At one point, Kinshin, Pan's mother came to the clerk's desk late at night and asked to borrow his phone.

[Narrator]

Here is the picture of Pan's mother making the call that broke the case wide open.

[Kevin Jeong]

After she used his phone, she deleted the number from his phone.

[Narrator]

Were you able to find that number?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Yes.

[Narrator]

The marshals tracked the phone to this boarding house near Alabama state university in Montgomery. So you guys are closing in?

[Kevin Jeong]

Yeah. They went out there with a small army, around 20 guys. They ended up finding his room, and they knocked on it. And he just came out and said, I'm who you're looking for. He had approximately $20,000 cash on him. He had his father's passport. Father's passport. And he had multiple communication devices on him. So seven SIM cards. Seven SIM cards and a computer.

[Narrator]

Penn was arrested for the murder of Kevin Zhang and brought back to Connecticut. He maintained his innocence, but a judge ordered him held on a $20 million bond.

[Kevin Jeong]

You relief.

[Narrator]

His case was delayed by the pandemic, but investigators had amassed a trove of evidence. Remember that license plate imprint on Kevin's car? Police say it matched the plate on the bumper of the SUV Pan was driving when Kevin was rear ended. And forensic tests revealed that Pan's DNA was on the gun and ammo found outside Arby's. And Kevin's blood was also on Pan's hat and the gear shift of the SUV Pan was driving the night Kevin was murdered. Was there anything missing?

[Kevin Jeong]

The murder weapon.

[Narrator]

Turns out the gun recovered at the Arby's was not the gun that was used to kill Kevin. Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Stacey Miranda.

[Kevin Jeong]

Who knows where that murder weapon ended up.

[Narrator]

But there was so much other evidence that Pan's lawyer, William Geras, recommended he cut a deal.

[Kevin Jeong]

Overwhelming evidence.

[Narrator]

Overwhelming evidence. On February 29, 2024, three years after Kevin's killing, Pan pled guilty to his murder in Exchange for serving 35 years in prison without parole.

[Kevin Jeong]

And had he not that stuck on the railroad tracks, this still might not.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Be a solved case.

[Kevin Jeong]

We might not know who did this. Bring out Pan, please.

[Narrator]

At his sentencing in April, Pan sat silently as Kevin's loved ones and friends described their loss. By court order, the camera was fixed on him. Some of Kevin's mother's remarks were read by a family friend. I was dreaming that Kevin will have a few beautiful children after getting married. This beautiful and joyful dream is destroyed. I am left alone by myself. I will never see Kevin smile again. Then Kevin's mother decided to speak to charge the mother pen. 35 years in prison is too short.

[Kevin Jeong]

And to the light.

[Narrator]

Pan never explained why he killed Kevin. But the only time he looked up was when Zion Perry rose to speak. I wanted to address Pan specifically. Although your sentence is far less than you deserve, there is also mercy.

[Kevin Jeong]

May God have mercy on you. And may he have mercy on all of us.

[Narrator]

Then Pan briefly addressed the court.

[Kevin Jeong]

Your Honor, what I'm thinking about is my action and the horrible consequences. I feel sorry for what my actions caused.

[Detective David Zulewski]

And for everyone affected. I fully accept my penalties.

[Kevin Jeong]

Court is going to impose the agreed.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Upon sentence of 35 years.

[Narrator]

Finally, Judge Harmon passed sentence and Pan was laid away in handcuffs. Did you ever consider charging his parents?

[Kevin Jeong]

We couldn't charge him because we couldn't prove that they knew when they picked him up that he had committed a murder.

[Narrator]

So they might be lucky that they didn't find themselves charged as well, 100%. We reached out to Pan's parents for comment but did not hear back. Now Kevin's friends are left to wonder what Kevin, a man of deep faith, might have thought about his killer. Do you think Kevin would have forgiven Pan? Yes, I do.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Without a doubt.

[Narrator]

Yeah. The officers visited Kevin's grave after they spoke to 4:48 hours. Lt. Hubbard recalled her first time there when she says she felt Kevin's presence and did something happen? It's just like wind blew, you know? Did you feel like it was him? I felt like it was definitely different as it's like a piece, kind of like. I want you to carry on. Don't be sad that I'm gone. Just keep going. Ken Shin Pan is scheduled to be released in 2056 when he is 65 years old. Join me Tuesday for postmortem from 48 hours where we'll dive into even deeper into today's episode and answer your questions about the case. Experience the Champions League final like never before.

[Detective David Zulewski]

With me, David Beckham and some of my closest friends.

[Kevin Jeong]

The ultimate watch.

[Detective David Zulewski]

Along with the legendary icon. It's PSG and Inter Milan and I'm giving you the best seat in the house. Extraordinary. Live inside the stadium with some very special guests.

[Narrator]

You did promise us a lot of a listers. Who could it be?

[Detective David Zulewski]

Stream Beckham and friends live during the UEFA Champions league final, Saturday, May 31st at 3 Eastern. Exclusively on Paramount plus.

[Kevin Jeong]

9116 emergency. Yes. Somebody killed two girls.

[Narrator]

My grandbaby and my friend.

[Kevin Jeong]

They're dead. A Paramount plus original. She wants to find more UN young women for him to kill.

[Narrator]

The untold stories of the real cases.

[Kevin Jeong]

Each one he gets away with. He's emboldened.

[Narrator]

The FBI can't shake.

[Detective David Zulewski]

It's very satisfying to be able to.

[Narrator]

Look at a bad guy and go.

[Detective David Zulewski]

We never forgot you.

[Kevin Jeong]

An all new season of FBI True.

[Narrator]

Streaming now on Paramount plus.