Overview

• Yang Zhao, 30, is accused of murdering his flatmate Qiong Yan in September 2020 and concealing her body in a toolbox for 10 months.
• Zhao testified that Yan's death was an accidental result of nitrous oxide use, denying allegations of strangulation or blunt force trauma.
• The prosecution alleges Zhao impersonated Yan after her death, sending over 2,000 messages and stealing $463,000 from her and her mother.
• Forensic experts testified that the cause of death could not be determined due to the body's decomposition, leaving key questions unresolved.
• Zhao admitted to lying to police, concealing the body, and engaging in deceitful actions, including using Yan's phone to maintain the appearance she was alive.