August 12, 2025 • 20 mins
A Yale graduate student is gunned down just blocks from his fiancée’s apartment.
Kevin Jiang, 26, was an Army veteran, a man of faith, and a rising scholar in environmental science. He had just proposed to the woman he loved, and the couple was planning their future together. But on a February night in 2021, a minor car collision became the opening move in a calculated attack that left Kevin dead in the street.
The investigation that followed would take detectives far beyond the quiet New Haven neighborhood where it happened. Surveillance footage, stolen cars, and a trail of discarded evidence pointed to an unlikely suspect—a former MIT graduate with no connection to Kevin, but a hidden link to his fiancée. What began as a baffling, seemingly random murder unraveled into a manhunt across multiple states for a fugitive who nearly planned the perfect crime.
In this episode of Murder U, we follow the case from the night of the shooting to the dramatic conclusion—and the chilling truth behind a killer driven by obsession.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/murder-u--6152042/support.
Kevin Jiang, 26, was an Army veteran, a man of faith, and a rising scholar in environmental science. He had just proposed to the woman he loved, and the couple was planning their future together. But on a February night in 2021, a minor car collision became the opening move in a calculated attack that left Kevin dead in the street.
The investigation that followed would take detectives far beyond the quiet New Haven neighborhood where it happened. Surveillance footage, stolen cars, and a trail of discarded evidence pointed to an unlikely suspect—a former MIT graduate with no connection to Kevin, but a hidden link to his fiancée. What began as a baffling, seemingly random murder unraveled into a manhunt across multiple states for a fugitive who nearly planned the perfect crime.
In this episode of Murder U, we follow the case from the night of the shooting to the dramatic conclusion—and the chilling truth behind a killer driven by obsession.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/murder-u--6152042/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
February sixth, twenty twenty one, a quiet street in New Haven, Connecticut.
Kevin Jong, a twenty six year old Yale graduate student
and Army veteran, is driving home after spending the evening.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
With his fiance.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
He's just left her apartment in the East Rock neighborhood
when his car is.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Hit from behind.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
He pulls over and steps out to check the damage.
Moments later, gunfire echoes through the neighborhood. Kevin is shot
multiple times, struck in the face and torso, collapsing beside
his prius. Neighbors run outside and find him lying in
the street. His wallet, phone, and groceries are still there.
The shooter is gone. Abnormia. Hey, what's up everyone? I'm
(00:46):
your host Mattie and this is Murder You. Thanks for
listening last week and for checking out the new Murder
U YouTube channel. If you haven't yet smashed that follow
and subscribe button and share the show with your friends.
It's the best way to help us reach even more
true I'm fans. Each week, the cases get darker, the
truth's more unsettling. A Yale student is murdered on the
street in cold Blood, Ivy League Killing. Welcome to murder
(01:10):
you an abnormia original. Kevin Jang was a Yale graduate student,
(01:37):
an Army veteran, and a man of strong faith. He
was preparing for a career in environmental science while planning
a future with the woman he had just proposed to.
He had a purpose, he was part of a community,
and he had a clear path forward. Then, in an instant,
everything was shattered. The investigation that followed would take detectives
(02:00):
beyond the Ivy League campus and across state lines.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
What began in a quiet New Haven.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Neighborhood quickly became a sprawling search for an unlikely suspect
who nearly got away with the perfect murder. Kevin Jong
was born in Seattle in nineteen ninety four, the only
child of Chinese immigrants who raised him in a Christian
household grounded in discipline, service, and education. From a young age,
(02:26):
Kevin took those values seriously. He was quiet, polite, and studious,
more interested in science and scripture than sports or popularity.
At church, he participated in youth programs and later volunteered
as a translator for Chinese speaking congregants. In high school,
he excelled academically and rarely drew attention to himself. Those
(02:49):
who knew him described him as steady and thoughtful, the
kind of person who didn't speak often but chose his
words carefully. After graduating, Kevin enlisted in the Army National Guard.
He trained as a tank operator and deployed to Iraq
in twenty thirteen as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He
was nineteen years old when he left the US for
(03:11):
the first time, and the experience changed him. He returned
more focused, with a sharpened sense of responsibility and purpose.
His time in the military reinforced the importance of structure, faith,
and public service values he had already grown up with,
but now chose to live out with greater intention. When
he came home, Kevin turned to education. He enrolled at
(03:35):
the University of Washington, where he pursued a degree in
ecological science. He was especially interested in water infrastructure and
sustainability projects, with a focus on how environmental science could
be applied in underserved communities. After earning his degree, he
was accepted to Yale's graduate program in environmental Studies. He
(03:57):
moved to New Haven in twenty nineteen and quickly became
active in both the academic and spiritual life of the City.
At Yale, Kevin split his time between coursework, lab research,
and church service. He attended Trinity Baptist in New Haven,
where he volunteered regularly and became known as someone who
could be counted on when the church needed help, whether
(04:19):
it was providing tech support for live streaming or delivering
food to those who couldn't leave home during the pandemic.
Kevin Jenks's professors described him as inquisitive and mission driven.
His goal was to take what he learned and use
it to make a direct impact through public service. By
twenty twenty, Kevin was formulating his thesis, working towards his
(04:40):
graduate degree, and considering a career focused on environmental policy
and international development. Everything in his life was moving forward faith, education, service,
and then he met someone who shared all three. Twenty
twenty was a life changing year for Kevin, and did
a Christian retreat in Connecticut hosted by a church group
(05:03):
with ties to both MIT and Yale. It was there
he met Zion Perry and the two formed a deep friendship.
Zion was finishing her undergraduate degree at MIT, Kevin was
a year into his graduate program at Yale. They came
from different backgrounds but shared the same priorities, faith, service.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
And science.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
The connection was quick and genuine. Friends described them as
grounded and well matched. Both were serious about their future
goals and intentional about their relationships. They began dating shortly
after their retreat and continued to stay in touch as
Zion completed her undergraduate studies. As it turned out, her
graduate work would bring her to New Haven. She was
(05:48):
accepted to Yale and began studying molecular biophysics and biochemistry
the following year. Kevin and Zion's relationship grew alongside their
academic work. They hiked, cooked together, and attended church regularly.
People close to them said it was clear how steady
they were as a couple. They're both brilliant and hard
(06:08):
working students, pastor Greg Hendrickson told CBS News, and yet
they didn't feel like their accomplishments were what defined them
at the deepest level. By early twenty twenty one, Kevin
and Zion were talking seriously about marriage. On January thirtieth,
exactly one year after they met, Kevin proposed. He took
(06:29):
Zion hiking in the snow to a frozen waterfall and
asked her to marry him. She said yes, Kevin posted
about the engagement online that night, calling it the best
moment of his life. Zion shared a video of the
proposal with her family and church community. The joy was unmistakable.
Two devout, high achieving students mapping out a shared life.
(06:52):
One week after getting engaged, on February sixth Kevin and
Zion spent the day together outdoors. They tried ice fishing,
went hiking again, and later cooked dinner at Zion's apartment.
Around eight thirty that evening, Kevin left to drive home.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
He never made it.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
It appeared that Kevin was slain in some sort of
road rage incident over a minor fender bender. By the
time police arrived at the scene, Kevin was already gone.
He had been shot multiple times, and his body was
found lying on the pavement near his car, just blocks
from Zion's place. Police worked the scene methodically, but nothing
about it added up. Kevin's phone, wallet, and ID were
(07:34):
still on him, so robbery couldn't have been the motive.
His groceries were still in the trunk. Multiple neighbors heard
the gunfire, but no one saw the killer or even
which direction they fled the scene. The shooting appeared targeted,
but Kevin didn't fit the profile of someone with enemies.
He hadn't received any threatening messages. Surveillance footage from nearby
(07:57):
holmes helped establish a rough timeline, but didn't capture the
shooting itself. Detectives explored whether the incident could have been
a traffic confrontation or a case of mistaken identity. They
reviewed Kevin's academic and military history, interviewed friends and classmates,
and searched for any recent conflicts or threats. Nothing surfaced.
(08:19):
They had no initial leads or suspects. To say it
was a baffling crime is an understatement, but they were
about to get their first significant break in the case.
The morning after the murder, investigators canvassed the area around
Lawrence Street. They spoke to neighbors, gathered security footage from
nearby homes, and tried to piece together the final moments
(08:42):
of Kevin Jang's life.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
It didn't take long to find something.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
One of the video clips showed Kevin's silver Prius driving
down the block around eight thirty PM. Another showed a
dark suv circling the same area several times. Moments later,
the sound of gunfire echoed through the neighborhood. When police arrived,
the suspicious suv was long gone. The vehicle seen in
(09:07):
the surveillance footage was identified as a blue GMC Terrain.
Its plates had been swapped, making it difficult to trace
it first. However, investigators expanded their search to include regional
license plate readers and dealer inventory for similar vehicles reported missing.
That's when they got a hit. A GMC dealership in Mansfield,
(09:28):
Massachusetts reported that a blue twenty fifteen Terrain had been
taken out on a test drive the morning of the
murder and never returned. The man told the sales staff
he wanted to show the suv to a mechanic. However,
he never returned it and the vehicle was subsequently reported stolen.
(09:48):
Unbeknownst to investigators, the man had already crossed paths with
local law enforcement. Just thirty minutes after the murder. That night,
around nine pm, North Haven police officers responded to a
report of a disabled vehicle stuck on the snow covered
train tracks behind a scrap yard. The suv couldn't be moved,
(10:08):
so a tow truck was called. At the time, officers
hadn't yet been alerted to the murder in New Haven
just thirty minutes earlier.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
The driver appeared calm and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
People always come down there and they turn around in
the front lot and they leave because they missed the
highway or something, Sergeant Jeffrey Mills of the North Haven
Police Department later told CBS News. Mills and his partner
took down the vehicle's VN and license plate before having
it towed to a nearby facility. The driver, who said
(10:42):
he'd made a wrong turn, was given a ride to
a Best Western motel across the street. There was no
indication that the SUV or the man driving it was
connected to a local murder. The encounter was logged and
treated as a routine matter. The next morning, at around
eleven a m. The same officer responded to a nine
(11:02):
to one one call from an Arby's across the street
from the motel. Employees had found a bag in the
dumpster containing at forty five caliber handgun, boxes of ammunition,
three license plates, and several personal items, including a yellow jacket,
a black briefcase, and a blue duffel with a Massachusetts logo.
The officer immediately recognized the items from the vehicle he
(11:25):
had helped the night before. That's when he called the
homicide unit. The stolen dealership vehicle matched the SUV seen
circling Zion Perry's neighborhood minutes before Kevin Jang was killed.
The man officers had unknowingly helped just after the murder
was now their prime suspect. His name was Chink Suwan Pan.
(11:46):
At first glance, Pan seemed like an unlikely murder suspect.
He had a master's degree from MIT, no criminal record,
and no known ties to Kevin's life, But detectives kept digging.
When they ran his name and hold records, something stood out.
Pan had previously attended an MIT, the same prestigious school
(12:07):
where Zion Perry had completed her undergraduate studies. The two
knew each other in passing and were both active in
Christian student organizations. It was the first tangible link between
Kevin's murder and the mysterious man he had never met.
The discovery changed the direction of the investigation. Police combed
through Zions past at MIT. They examined her online presence
(12:31):
and questioned her about Pan, hoping to understand how someone
from zience past could have reappeared under such violent circumstances
that question quickly took on new urgency. Once investigators identified
Pan as the man who had borrowed the blue suv,
they moved quickly behind the scenes. Pan was considered a
(12:51):
person of interest as police.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Worked to gather more evidence.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Authorities soon discovered this wasn't the only time Pan had
taken a dealership vehicle under false pretenses.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
On multiple occasions, he signed out.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Cars for test drives, then drove them straight to Connecticut.
Around the same time, four homes in New Haven were
shot at between December twenty twenty and February twenty twenty one.
No one was hurt, but forty five caliber shell casings
were recovered, and witnesses reported a dark suv fleeing the scene.
(13:24):
When police compared the shooting dates to Pan's test drives,
they matched. The next step was locating him, but they
discovered he had already vanished.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Four days later.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
On February tenth, twenty twenty one, the New Haven Police
announced that Shin Chuan Pan was a suspect in the
murder of Kevin Jang. The authorities issued a bulletin seeking
the public's help in locating Pan. They warned that Pan
could be armed and dangerous. A warrant was issued for
second degree larceny tied to his unauthorized use of the SUV.
(13:58):
A federal warrant was issued for for unlawful flight to
avoid prosecution. A few weeks after the murder, the investigation
moved beyond Connecticut. Pan was spotted in Brookhaven, Georgia, staying
with relatives, but by the time authorities closed in, he
was already gone. Investigators learned that Pan had crossed state
lines multiple times to evade capture. He was using stolen identities,
(14:22):
traveling with multiple burner phones, and withdrawing large amounts of
cash from a foreign bank account to avoid leaving a
digital trail. Surveillance footage atm withdrawals and license plate readers
provided a map of his movements, but Pan was always
one step ahead. Then came a break. Investigator's uncovered evidence
(14:43):
that Pan's parents may have helped him flee. His mother,
a former MIT faculty member, allegedly played a direct role
driving him to Georgia, helping him obtain fake IDs, and
wiring him money while he was on the run. Federal
ASA authorities began building a case against her for obstruction
of justice.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
With the help of the U. S.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Marshals, the case became a nationwide manhunt. Leeds eventually pointed
them to Alabama. On May fourteen, twenty twenty one, more
than three months after Kevin Jang's murder, Kingswyan Pan was
found hiding out in a rented apartment in Montgomery. He
was living under a false name, using a stolen passport,
(15:26):
and carrying nineteen thousand dollars in cash, along with multiple
cell phones and a simcard reader. He surrendered without incident.
The chase was over, but the drama was just beginning.
Pan was extradited to Connecticut and formally charged with murder.
Prosecutors alleged that the shooting was a premeditated act driven
(15:47):
by jealousy and obsession. Prosecutors described the case as deliberate
and methodical, pointing to how Pan staged several shooting incidents
months before, borrowed a vehicle under false pretenses, staged the ambush,
and evaded capture for months. They emphasized that Pan had
no known relationship with Kevin Jang and no apparent reason
(16:09):
to be in New Haven except that Zion Perry lived there.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
In court, documents.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Investigators revealed that Pan had conducted Internet searches about Zion
in the days before the murder, including on the day
Kevin was killed. Pan had also deleted data from his
phone shortly afterward. 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,
(16:35):
Detective David Zeweski told Anne Marie Green of CBS News.
Police noted that while Zion and Pan were friends at
MIT in twenty nineteen, Zion later told investigators that she
had formed the impression that Pan was romantically interested in her,
there was no indication the feeling was mutual, and Zion
had not been in contact with Pan since leaving MIT.
(16:57):
Pan entered a plea of not guilty. His attorneys have
not publicly commented about the case, but have filed motions
challenging some of the evidence, including cell site data and
the admissibility of surveillance footage. The defense has also raised
concerns about the circumstances of Pan's arrest and the use
of certain digital forensics collected during his time in custody.
(17:20):
Despite spending months on the run, using fake identities and
carrying cash and a passport. When he was arrested, Pan
was still given bail due to Connecticut laws making it
difficult for judges to deny it. However, the judge set
bail at twenty million dollars, a number meant to ensure
that Pan stayed behind bars, even if the law didn't
(17:42):
allow them to say it outright. With Pan locked up
at McDougall Walker Correctional Institution in Seufield, the case remained
in pre trial limbo until one last shocking twist.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
On February twenty.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Ninth, twenty twenty four, nearly three years after Kevin Jang
was murdered, Jing Suwan Pan made a stunning and unexpected move.
He entered a guilty plea to the charge of murder
in New Haven's Superior Court. On April twenty three, twenty
twenty four. Judge Gerald Harmon sentenced Pan to thirty five
(18:17):
years in prison with no possibility of probation or parole.
The prosecution did not disclose Pan's motive, but one can
surmise that jealousy and obsession were behind this crime. During
the sentencing, the judge emphasized the premeditated callousness of Pan's actions,
highlighting his months on the run and the emotional toll
(18:37):
it took on the victim's families. The murder of Kevin
Jang captivated the world because it involved two recently engaged
Ivy League students and an obsessed former MIT graduate who
nearly planned the perfect murder.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
This wasn't a love triangle. It was murdered by a secretly.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Obsessed individual with evil intentions. The drama of a lengthy
man hunt unfolded in real time, but at its heart,
it was a deeply personal tragedy. Kevin Jang was a
brilliant Yale scholar, a devoted National Guard veteran, and a
kind hearted fiancee planning his future with the woman he loved.
(19:17):
His life was defined by service, faith, curiosity, and sincere devotion.
In contrast, Pan was a cold and calculating killer who
robbed the world of a wonderful person because of his
jealous obsession with a woman he barely knew. Kevin's memory
lives on not through sensational headlines or even podcast episodes,
(19:39):
but in the hearts of those who knew him as
a humble man who cared deeply about others. That's it
for this episode, but please remember if you or someone you.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Know needs help.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Advocates at the National Domestic Violence Hotline are available to
speak confidentially with anyone in the United States who is
experiencing domestic violence, seeking recent sources or information, or questioning
unhealthy aspects.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Of their relationship.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Call one eight hundred and seventy nine nine safe, seven
two three, three
February sixth, twenty twenty one, a quiet street in New Haven, Connecticut.
Kevin Jong, a twenty six year old Yale graduate student
and Army veteran, is driving home after spending the evening.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
With his fiance.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
He's just left her apartment in the East Rock neighborhood
when his car is.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Hit from behind.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
He pulls over and steps out to check the damage.
Moments later, gunfire echoes through the neighborhood. Kevin is shot
multiple times, struck in the face and torso, collapsing beside
his prius. Neighbors run outside and find him lying in
the street. His wallet, phone, and groceries are still there.
The shooter is gone. Abnormia. Hey, what's up everyone? I'm
(00:46):
your host Mattie and this is Murder You. Thanks for
listening last week and for checking out the new Murder
U YouTube channel. If you haven't yet smashed that follow
and subscribe button and share the show with your friends.
It's the best way to help us reach even more
true I'm fans. Each week, the cases get darker, the
truth's more unsettling. A Yale student is murdered on the
street in cold Blood, Ivy League Killing. Welcome to murder
(01:10):
you an abnormia original. Kevin Jang was a Yale graduate student,
(01:37):
an Army veteran, and a man of strong faith. He
was preparing for a career in environmental science while planning
a future with the woman he had just proposed to.
He had a purpose, he was part of a community,
and he had a clear path forward. Then, in an instant,
everything was shattered. The investigation that followed would take detectives
(02:00):
beyond the Ivy League campus and across state lines.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
What began in a quiet New Haven.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Neighborhood quickly became a sprawling search for an unlikely suspect
who nearly got away with the perfect murder. Kevin Jong
was born in Seattle in nineteen ninety four, the only
child of Chinese immigrants who raised him in a Christian
household grounded in discipline, service, and education. From a young age,
(02:26):
Kevin took those values seriously. He was quiet, polite, and studious,
more interested in science and scripture than sports or popularity.
At church, he participated in youth programs and later volunteered
as a translator for Chinese speaking congregants. In high school,
he excelled academically and rarely drew attention to himself. Those
(02:49):
who knew him described him as steady and thoughtful, the
kind of person who didn't speak often but chose his
words carefully. After graduating, Kevin enlisted in the Army National Guard.
He trained as a tank operator and deployed to Iraq
in twenty thirteen as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He
was nineteen years old when he left the US for
(03:11):
the first time, and the experience changed him. He returned
more focused, with a sharpened sense of responsibility and purpose.
His time in the military reinforced the importance of structure, faith,
and public service values he had already grown up with,
but now chose to live out with greater intention. When
he came home, Kevin turned to education. He enrolled at
(03:35):
the University of Washington, where he pursued a degree in
ecological science. He was especially interested in water infrastructure and
sustainability projects, with a focus on how environmental science could
be applied in underserved communities. After earning his degree, he
was accepted to Yale's graduate program in environmental Studies. He
(03:57):
moved to New Haven in twenty nineteen and quickly became
active in both the academic and spiritual life of the City.
At Yale, Kevin split his time between coursework, lab research,
and church service. He attended Trinity Baptist in New Haven,
where he volunteered regularly and became known as someone who
could be counted on when the church needed help, whether
(04:19):
it was providing tech support for live streaming or delivering
food to those who couldn't leave home during the pandemic.
Kevin Jenks's professors described him as inquisitive and mission driven.
His goal was to take what he learned and use
it to make a direct impact through public service. By
twenty twenty, Kevin was formulating his thesis, working towards his
(04:40):
graduate degree, and considering a career focused on environmental policy
and international development. Everything in his life was moving forward faith, education, service,
and then he met someone who shared all three. Twenty
twenty was a life changing year for Kevin, and did
a Christian retreat in Connecticut hosted by a church group
(05:03):
with ties to both MIT and Yale. It was there
he met Zion Perry and the two formed a deep friendship.
Zion was finishing her undergraduate degree at MIT, Kevin was
a year into his graduate program at Yale. They came
from different backgrounds but shared the same priorities, faith, service.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
And science.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
The connection was quick and genuine. Friends described them as
grounded and well matched. Both were serious about their future
goals and intentional about their relationships. They began dating shortly
after their retreat and continued to stay in touch as
Zion completed her undergraduate studies. As it turned out, her
graduate work would bring her to New Haven. She was
(05:48):
accepted to Yale and began studying molecular biophysics and biochemistry
the following year. Kevin and Zion's relationship grew alongside their
academic work. They hiked, cooked together, and attended church regularly.
People close to them said it was clear how steady
they were as a couple. They're both brilliant and hard
(06:08):
working students, pastor Greg Hendrickson told CBS News, and yet
they didn't feel like their accomplishments were what defined them
at the deepest level. By early twenty twenty one, Kevin
and Zion were talking seriously about marriage. On January thirtieth,
exactly one year after they met, Kevin proposed. He took
(06:29):
Zion hiking in the snow to a frozen waterfall and
asked her to marry him. She said yes, Kevin posted
about the engagement online that night, calling it the best
moment of his life. Zion shared a video of the
proposal with her family and church community. The joy was unmistakable.
Two devout, high achieving students mapping out a shared life.
(06:52):
One week after getting engaged, on February sixth Kevin and
Zion spent the day together outdoors. They tried ice fishing,
went hiking again, and later cooked dinner at Zion's apartment.
Around eight thirty that evening, Kevin left to drive home.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
He never made it.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
It appeared that Kevin was slain in some sort of
road rage incident over a minor fender bender. By the
time police arrived at the scene, Kevin was already gone.
He had been shot multiple times, and his body was
found lying on the pavement near his car, just blocks
from Zion's place. Police worked the scene methodically, but nothing
about it added up. Kevin's phone, wallet, and ID were
(07:34):
still on him, so robbery couldn't have been the motive.
His groceries were still in the trunk. Multiple neighbors heard
the gunfire, but no one saw the killer or even
which direction they fled the scene. The shooting appeared targeted,
but Kevin didn't fit the profile of someone with enemies.
He hadn't received any threatening messages. Surveillance footage from nearby
(07:57):
holmes helped establish a rough timeline, but didn't capture the
shooting itself. Detectives explored whether the incident could have been
a traffic confrontation or a case of mistaken identity. They
reviewed Kevin's academic and military history, interviewed friends and classmates,
and searched for any recent conflicts or threats. Nothing surfaced.
(08:19):
They had no initial leads or suspects. To say it
was a baffling crime is an understatement, but they were
about to get their first significant break in the case.
The morning after the murder, investigators canvassed the area around
Lawrence Street. They spoke to neighbors, gathered security footage from
nearby homes, and tried to piece together the final moments
(08:42):
of Kevin Jang's life.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
It didn't take long to find something.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
One of the video clips showed Kevin's silver Prius driving
down the block around eight thirty PM. Another showed a
dark suv circling the same area several times. Moments later,
the sound of gunfire echoed through the neighborhood. When police arrived,
the suspicious suv was long gone. The vehicle seen in
(09:07):
the surveillance footage was identified as a blue GMC Terrain.
Its plates had been swapped, making it difficult to trace
it first. However, investigators expanded their search to include regional
license plate readers and dealer inventory for similar vehicles reported missing.
That's when they got a hit. A GMC dealership in Mansfield,
(09:28):
Massachusetts reported that a blue twenty fifteen Terrain had been
taken out on a test drive the morning of the
murder and never returned. The man told the sales staff
he wanted to show the suv to a mechanic. However,
he never returned it and the vehicle was subsequently reported stolen.
(09:48):
Unbeknownst to investigators, the man had already crossed paths with
local law enforcement. Just thirty minutes after the murder. That night,
around nine pm, North Haven police officers responded to a
report of a disabled vehicle stuck on the snow covered
train tracks behind a scrap yard. The suv couldn't be moved,
(10:08):
so a tow truck was called. At the time, officers
hadn't yet been alerted to the murder in New Haven
just thirty minutes earlier.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
The driver appeared calm and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
People always come down there and they turn around in
the front lot and they leave because they missed the
highway or something, Sergeant Jeffrey Mills of the North Haven
Police Department later told CBS News. Mills and his partner
took down the vehicle's VN and license plate before having
it towed to a nearby facility. The driver, who said
(10:42):
he'd made a wrong turn, was given a ride to
a Best Western motel across the street. There was no
indication that the SUV or the man driving it was
connected to a local murder. The encounter was logged and
treated as a routine matter. The next morning, at around
eleven a m. The same officer responded to a nine
(11:02):
to one one call from an Arby's across the street
from the motel. Employees had found a bag in the
dumpster containing at forty five caliber handgun, boxes of ammunition,
three license plates, and several personal items, including a yellow jacket,
a black briefcase, and a blue duffel with a Massachusetts logo.
The officer immediately recognized the items from the vehicle he
(11:25):
had helped the night before. That's when he called the
homicide unit. The stolen dealership vehicle matched the SUV seen
circling Zion Perry's neighborhood minutes before Kevin Jang was killed.
The man officers had unknowingly helped just after the murder
was now their prime suspect. His name was Chink Suwan Pan.
(11:46):
At first glance, Pan seemed like an unlikely murder suspect.
He had a master's degree from MIT, no criminal record,
and no known ties to Kevin's life, But detectives kept digging.
When they ran his name and hold records, something stood out.
Pan had previously attended an MIT, the same prestigious school
(12:07):
where Zion Perry had completed her undergraduate studies. The two
knew each other in passing and were both active in
Christian student organizations. It was the first tangible link between
Kevin's murder and the mysterious man he had never met.
The discovery changed the direction of the investigation. Police combed
through Zions past at MIT. They examined her online presence
(12:31):
and questioned her about Pan, hoping to understand how someone
from zience past could have reappeared under such violent circumstances
that question quickly took on new urgency. Once investigators identified
Pan as the man who had borrowed the blue suv,
they moved quickly behind the scenes. Pan was considered a
(12:51):
person of interest as police.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Worked to gather more evidence.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Authorities soon discovered this wasn't the only time Pan had
taken a dealership vehicle under false pretenses.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
On multiple occasions, he signed out.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Cars for test drives, then drove them straight to Connecticut.
Around the same time, four homes in New Haven were
shot at between December twenty twenty and February twenty twenty one.
No one was hurt, but forty five caliber shell casings
were recovered, and witnesses reported a dark suv fleeing the scene.
(13:24):
When police compared the shooting dates to Pan's test drives,
they matched. The next step was locating him, but they
discovered he had already vanished.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Four days later.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
On February tenth, twenty twenty one, the New Haven Police
announced that Shin Chuan Pan was a suspect in the
murder of Kevin Jang. The authorities issued a bulletin seeking
the public's help in locating Pan. They warned that Pan
could be armed and dangerous. A warrant was issued for
second degree larceny tied to his unauthorized use of the SUV.
(13:58):
A federal warrant was issued for for unlawful flight to
avoid prosecution. A few weeks after the murder, the investigation
moved beyond Connecticut. Pan was spotted in Brookhaven, Georgia, staying
with relatives, but by the time authorities closed in, he
was already gone. Investigators learned that Pan had crossed state
lines multiple times to evade capture. He was using stolen identities,
(14:22):
traveling with multiple burner phones, and withdrawing large amounts of
cash from a foreign bank account to avoid leaving a
digital trail. Surveillance footage atm withdrawals and license plate readers
provided a map of his movements, but Pan was always
one step ahead. Then came a break. Investigator's uncovered evidence
(14:43):
that Pan's parents may have helped him flee. His mother,
a former MIT faculty member, allegedly played a direct role
driving him to Georgia, helping him obtain fake IDs, and
wiring him money while he was on the run. Federal
ASA authorities began building a case against her for obstruction
of justice.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
With the help of the U. S.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Marshals, the case became a nationwide manhunt. Leeds eventually pointed
them to Alabama. On May fourteen, twenty twenty one, more
than three months after Kevin Jang's murder, Kingswyan Pan was
found hiding out in a rented apartment in Montgomery. He
was living under a false name, using a stolen passport,
(15:26):
and carrying nineteen thousand dollars in cash, along with multiple
cell phones and a simcard reader. He surrendered without incident.
The chase was over, but the drama was just beginning.
Pan was extradited to Connecticut and formally charged with murder.
Prosecutors alleged that the shooting was a premeditated act driven
(15:47):
by jealousy and obsession. Prosecutors described the case as deliberate
and methodical, pointing to how Pan staged several shooting incidents
months before, borrowed a vehicle under false pretenses, staged the ambush,
and evaded capture for months. They emphasized that Pan had
no known relationship with Kevin Jang and no apparent reason
(16:09):
to be in New Haven except that Zion Perry lived there.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
In court, documents.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Investigators revealed that Pan had conducted Internet searches about Zion
in the days before the murder, including on the day
Kevin was killed. Pan had also deleted data from his
phone shortly afterward. 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,
(16:35):
Detective David Zeweski told Anne Marie Green of CBS News.
Police noted that while Zion and Pan were friends at
MIT in twenty nineteen, Zion later told investigators that she
had formed the impression that Pan was romantically interested in her,
there was no indication the feeling was mutual, and Zion
had not been in contact with Pan since leaving MIT.
(16:57):
Pan entered a plea of not guilty. His attorneys have
not publicly commented about the case, but have filed motions
challenging some of the evidence, including cell site data and
the admissibility of surveillance footage. The defense has also raised
concerns about the circumstances of Pan's arrest and the use
of certain digital forensics collected during his time in custody.
(17:20):
Despite spending months on the run, using fake identities and
carrying cash and a passport. When he was arrested, Pan
was still given bail due to Connecticut laws making it
difficult for judges to deny it. However, the judge set
bail at twenty million dollars, a number meant to ensure
that Pan stayed behind bars, even if the law didn't
(17:42):
allow them to say it outright. With Pan locked up
at McDougall Walker Correctional Institution in Seufield, the case remained
in pre trial limbo until one last shocking twist.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
On February twenty.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Ninth, twenty twenty four, nearly three years after Kevin Jang
was murdered, Jing Suwan Pan made a stunning and unexpected move.
He entered a guilty plea to the charge of murder
in New Haven's Superior Court. On April twenty three, twenty
twenty four. Judge Gerald Harmon sentenced Pan to thirty five
(18:17):
years in prison with no possibility of probation or parole.
The prosecution did not disclose Pan's motive, but one can
surmise that jealousy and obsession were behind this crime. During
the sentencing, the judge emphasized the premeditated callousness of Pan's actions,
highlighting his months on the run and the emotional toll
(18:37):
it took on the victim's families. The murder of Kevin
Jang captivated the world because it involved two recently engaged
Ivy League students and an obsessed former MIT graduate who
nearly planned the perfect murder.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
This wasn't a love triangle. It was murdered by a secretly.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Obsessed individual with evil intentions. The drama of a lengthy
man hunt unfolded in real time, but at its heart,
it was a deeply personal tragedy. Kevin Jang was a
brilliant Yale scholar, a devoted National Guard veteran, and a
kind hearted fiancee planning his future with the woman he loved.
(19:17):
His life was defined by service, faith, curiosity, and sincere devotion.
In contrast, Pan was a cold and calculating killer who
robbed the world of a wonderful person because of his
jealous obsession with a woman he barely knew. Kevin's memory
lives on not through sensational headlines or even podcast episodes,
(19:39):
but in the hearts of those who knew him as
a humble man who cared deeply about others. That's it
for this episode, but please remember if you or someone you.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Know needs help.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Advocates at the National Domestic Violence Hotline are available to
speak confidentially with anyone in the United States who is
experiencing domestic violence, seeking recent sources or information, or questioning
unhealthy aspects.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Of their relationship.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Call one eight hundred and seventy nine nine safe, seven
two three, three
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