Kidnap suspect ordered to be held without bond

People react at the end of the bond hearing for Brendt Christensen outside of the US Courthouse on July 3, 2017 in Urbana, Illinois. [Photo/Agencies]

URBANA— A federal judge in Illinois has ordered a man accused of kidnapping a visiting University of Illinois scholar from China to be held without bond.

Monday's brief hearing was the first court appearance for 28-year-old Brendt Christensen since he was charged on Friday in the kidnapping of Yingying Zhang. Authorities have said they believe the 26-year-old Zhang is dead, although her body has not been found.

The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports that Christensen — clad in an orange jumpsuit — didn't speak during the nine-minute hearing other than to acknowledge that he understood his rights.

Christensen is scheduled to attend a bond hearing before US Magistrate Judge Eric Long on Wednesday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 14.

Christensen is accused of abducting Zhang in Urbana on June 9.

Hundreds of people are gathering outside the federal courthouse.

AP