Authorities have launched a homicide investigation after a 23-year-old California college student was found dead in her off-campus apartment, where a man was seen climbing out the window before her body was found.

Menghan Zhuang, who also went by Emily King, was found suffering from “several injuries to her upper body” in her off-campus apartment in Newhall, California, on Feb. 4, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. 

Zhuang, a student at the California Institute of the Arts, was found by her roommate, Lt. Michael Modica said during a Feb. 12 press conference. First responders arrived at the apartment where Zhung was pronounced dead at the scene.

“This was not a random act of violence,” Modica said.

Zhuang, a Chinese national in the country for about three years on a student visa, was an art major in her senior undergraduate year, according to CalArts. 

“The CalArts community is working together to process the tragic loss of our friend, student and community member,” CalArts said in a statement. 

Her family is working alongside school administrators to create a memorial showcasing Zhuang’s artwork. 

Menghan Zhuang smiles in an undated photograph released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Zhuang, a CalArts senior, was killed in her off-campus apartment on Feb. 4, 2025. (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department)

A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest. 

“Menghan’s young life and bright future ended too soon in a brutal and tragic manner,” Los Angeles Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said in a statement. “Menghan’s loved ones and the community at large deserve justice. I am committed to doing everything in my power to make that happen.” 

Authorities are urging anyone with information to call the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department at 323-890-5500 or, to remain anonymous, contact the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers online or at 800-222-8477.