Iowa State University students are holding a memorial service Friday in honor of Tong Shao, the Chinese chemical engineering junior whose body was found in the trunk of her car last week.

Sponsored by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, the service will be starting at 7 p.m. Friday on the lawn south of the landmark Campanile at the school's Ames campus. The ISU Counseling Service is providing trained counselors at the memorial service.

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Xilu Wang, president of the students and scholars group, said the memorial will be open to the public. The group also had invited university officials to attend the service that concludes with a short speech about Shao's life, he said.

Shao, 20, left Ames on Sept. 6, after telling friends she was going to Minnesota for a few days. She was last heard from on Sept. 8, and her friends reported her missing to Ames Police on Sept. 17.

Shao's body was found Monday in the trunk of a car later found to be registered to her. It was parked at an Iowa City apartment complex. The complex was also home to Xiangnan Li, 23, a University of Iowa business student.

According to reports, Li and Shao had been dating and the young man is still at large as it is believed he has returned to China. Authorities have referred to Li as a person of interest, which is one step below being classified as a suspect.

Reportedly, local police and Chinese authorities are also working closely together in an attempt to locate Li.

Officials have called the circumstances of Shao's death suspicious, but have not released any details regarding the pending autopsy results. According to police, the autopsy results will take four to six weeks. 

TagsTong Shao, murdered chinese student, crimestoppers, iowa state university, Xiangnan Li, university of iowa, Ames, Iowa City, crime, Murder, murder student