Zhao lives with her boyfriend, 18-year-old Ang Li, in a basement suite in Burnaby. He is not a suspect. She attends Coquitlam College, and president Tom Tait said the entire school is devastated.
"She was just a wonderful student. It's just so, so sad," said Tait. "We're really scared. It doesn't look good. We're all walking around like zombies."
Tait said Zhao's parents are in Beijing.
"Her parents are actually 60 years old," he said. "They're both retired but the mother's working at a school for extra money -- about $200 a month Canadian -- that she sends to Amanda for living expenses. They're just scraping to make ends meet for their only child, so it can't be any sadder."
"She was just a wonderful student. It's just so, so sad," said Tait. "We're really scared. It doesn't look good. We're all walking around like zombies."
Tait said Zhao's parents are in Beijing.
"Her parents are actually 60 years old," he said. "They're both retired but the mother's working at a school for extra money -- about $200 a month Canadian -- that she sends to Amanda for living expenses. They're just scraping to make ends meet for their only child, so it can't be any sadder."