A University of Texas at Dallas student who was missing for over a week has been found dead at an undisclosed location off-campus, Richardson police confirmed.
Andrew Zhou Li, 20, a political science major, was reported missing by his mother on February 24 after he did not respond to her phone calls and messages. During a welfare check at his campus apartment, UTD police found Li’s personal belongings and cell phone, but Li’s wallet was missing. A roommate said Li was last seen at the apartment at 6 p.m. that same day.
News of Li’s death was announced in a letter to the student body on Saturday by Gene Fitch, the vice president of Student Affairs.
UTD police reported that Li’s body was found off-campus in the 3200 block of Routh Creek Parkway “under the [Dallas Area Rapid Transit] rail tracks,” per NBC News. They said they did not believe there was any threat to the campus community.
“We all grieve with Andrew’s family and friends at this sorrowful outcome. We offer our sincere condolences to all who knew him,” UTD police posted in a Facebook message.
The Richardson police are investigating the student’s death but have not released any further information.
Li’s death was the second reported student death in the past week and the ninth of the 2023-2024 academic year, according to The Mercury, a UTD student-run publication. On February 26, an unidentified student was found dead at a campus parking lot.
A Comets Remember Ceremony will be held on campus on March 19 in memoriam of the nine students who died during the academic year.
Counseling is available through UTD for students and staff impacted by the recent deaths of the students.
