Arrest Made in Murder of CalArts Student Menghan Zhuang

NEWHALL, Calif. — Authorities have arrested a man in connection with the murder of 23-year-old Menghan Zhuang, a California Institute of the Arts student, who was found dead in her Newhall apartment on February 4, 2025.

Jack Minh Terry, 22, was taken into custody on February 16 in Garden Grove, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He has been charged with murder and is currently being held without bail. Terry is scheduled for a court appearance on March 27, 2025.

Investigators report that Zhuang, known to friends as Emily King, was discovered unresponsive by her roommate in their condominium located at the Vistas complex. First responders were called to the scene, where they pronounced her dead due to multiple injuries to her upper body.

Sheriff’s Lieutenant Michael Modica indicated that Zhuang had a male visitor on the night of February 3, who was later captured on video leaving through her second-story bedroom window the following afternoon. These developments prompted the sheriff’s department to seek public assistance in identifying the individual.

“I want to make it clear that her roommate is helping us in this case,” Modica emphasized, confirming that she is not a suspect in the homicide investigation.

Zhuang was a senior studying art at CalArts and an international student from China. The institution released a statement expressing their grief over the loss. “Our community is devastated by this loss, and our heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends, classmates, and teachers,” the statement read.

In collaboration with investigators, CalArts has assisted in contacting Zhuang’s family to provide support. The sheriff’s department stated they will continue to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.

Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at 323-890-5500 or Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.