Man charged with murder after Markham woman’s remains identified

A 26-year-old man is facing charges of second-degree murder and indignity to a corpse after the coroner confirmed that human remains found during a search of Kawartha Lakes this week were those of missing Markham woman Ying Zhang.

In a press release Thursday, York Regional Police said East Gwillimbury man Changlin Yang now faces upgraded charges. He was originally charged with kidnapping, forcible confinement and aggravated assault.

Zhang’s body was found Monday in the village of Kirkfield, about 140 kilometres northeast of Toronto, police said. Detectives said Wednesday they were waiting for the coroner to confirm her identity.

The discovery was made during a ground search on Monday around 5 p.m., police said, in the area of ​​Palestine Road and Fenel Road. Investigators said the remains were found near a road.

Zhang, 57, was last seen around 10:40 a.m. on July 25 at a spa near Woodbine Avenue and Steelcase Road in Markham. Her family reported her disappearance that evening after she didn’t return home from work, police said.

Police are asking anyone who was in the area when Zhang was last seen, or who may have seen the white Ford van the suspect is believed to have been driving, to contact investigators.

The suspect will appear at a virtual court hearing on Thursday afternoon.