Lehigh University Student Who Poisoned His Black Roommate Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder
Chemistry student Yukai Yang, 24, of China, has pled guilty to attempted first-degree murder and other related charges against his roommate, Juwan Royal.
Juwan Royal, a black student who roomed with Yang at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, was the victim of repeated poisoning with the heavy metal thallium. The charges against Yang regarding his roommate's poisoning stemmed from a separate 2018 incident in which Royal was the target of racially motivated vandalism.
In April of 2018, the local crime newspaper, The Brown and White, published the incident that would later be the catalyst for the attempted murder charges. The dorm room Yang and Royal shared was broken into and vandalized with racist language that specifically targeted Royal. Royal's personal belongings, including his TV and bed, were destroyed. On his desk, written in black marker, was the statement, "N***er get out of here."
After authorities investigated the incident, they took a statement from Yang in which they noticed similarities between the handwritten statement and the graffiti written in the room. It was later found that Yang was the one who committed the vandalism. Initially, Yang was charged with ethnic intimidation, institutional vandalism, and criminal mischief.
Evidence Points Towards Poisoning
It wasn't until officers noted that Royal looked unwell that additional probing ensued. When authorities questioned Royal further about his roommate, they uncovered that Royal had been feeling ill for quite some time. In the months before the vandalism, Royal had even contacted law enforcement because he was vomiting uncontrollably and was concerned someone was tampering with his food. It was then that Royal reported he drank water from a bottle and felt his tongue burn immediately afterward. Royal’s parents took him to see a specialist once symptoms worsened. After blood work and forensic analysis, results came back showing a dangerously high amount of thallium in Royal's blood.
An investigation was conducted by the Lehigh University authorities on May 25, 2018, during which Yang shared that he had purchased chemicals, including thallium. Yang revealed that he planned to use the heavy metal on himself as a way to commit suicide if his grades did not improve. Eventually, Yang confessed to mixing the heavy metal and other chemicals with food stored in the refrigerator that both he and his roommate had access to.
In a statement by then-Northampton County District Attorney, John Morganelli, the DA revealed that the poisoning had taken place over a period of time with small increments of poison being added to drinks and food in the refrigerator. Royal suspects that the poisoning began in February of that year when he drank from a water bottle and immediately felt his mouth burning.
Yang confessed to authorities about his intention to poison his roommate by mixing heavy metal in his roommate's mouthwash and other drinks. Yang was then charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and simple assault.
The Effects of Thallium
Thallium was once used in mouse traps but is now banned in the U.S. However, the heavy metal is available in Russia and China. Yang told officials that he had purchased the thallium and other chemicals online.
If ingested in large doses, thallium can have a detrimental impact on the nervous system and can cause death. In the months during which the poisoning occurred, Royal had noted issues in his health which included nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and other neurological issues. In one instance, Royal described the feeling as like a thousand knives driving into him.
Reports reveal that Royal is still dealing with neurological damage and has been in physical therapy for the past two years. The current Northampton County Deputy District Attorney Richard Pepper shared with the media the following statement, "Two and a half years later he's still having neurological issues with his toes."
After his initial arrest on the thallium charges, Yang was released on bail for $10,000. But after attempting to flee the United States and return to China, his bail was raised to 2.5 million dollars.
Yang is set to be sentenced on January 21st. As part of the plea deal, some of Yang's previous charges will be dropped. According to the sentencing guidelines, Yang could face anywhere between six and 20 years in prison. The maximum sentence for his charges ranges between 20 and 40 years. Royal was not at the initial hearing but plans to be at the sentencing later in January. It is expected that Royal will share a statement of his own with the court.
