Doctoral student who fatally shot his UNC Chapel Hill adviser found not guilty due to insanity
By 
Rebecca Trager2026-09-23T14:25:00
Three years after materials scientist’s killing, the culprit has been committed to a psychiatric hospital indefinitely
More than three years after a materials scientist at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill was shot dead in his office by a PhD student in his group, that man – who has admitted the shooting – has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Judge Richard Baddour dismissed the first-degree murder charge against Tailei Qi on 18 September. Qi and his victim, Zijie Yan, had published several nanoscience papers together and both received their undergraduate degrees at universities in Wuhan, China, before moving to the US to pursue further studies.