‘No sign of struggle or foul play’

There was no sign of a struggle or foul play in the abandoned car that had been rented by missing Chinese tourist Zhi Qiao, according to Rota Department of Public Safety’s Lt. Jarrod Manglona.

In phone interview yesterday, Manglona disclosed that the car was unlocked and the key was inside when a police officer found it abandoned at the East Harbor last April 5 at about 1am.

Manglona said 27-year-old Qiao rented the Toyota Yaris from Islander Rent A Car last April 4 and that he was set to return it the following day.

He said the car was not due for return when it was found.

Manglona said one of their regular duty officers was doing a routine patrol when he saw the vehicle parked at the East Harbor in Songsong.

“When the officer came across the car, it was unlocked or unsecured and there was no occupant in the car and in the area,” Manglona said.

The lieutenant said they checked the airlines, but there was no record that indicates that Qiao took a flight out of Rota.

He said they also looked into the seaport, but that, according to the two boats that came in, they did not take any passengers.

Manglona said they have no information whether or not Qiao checked into a hotel upon his arrival on Rota.

Manglona said they forwarded all the information about Qiao to the Fusion Center and they also subsequently alerted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Guam and Saipan about the matter.

He said DPS Saipan is also following up on the complaint filed by Qiao’s father.

Manglona said he and other officers on Rota have not met the parents yet.

“Anyone who has seen him [Qiao] may pass along the information to Crime Stoppers or the DPS Saipan itself or the Rota DPS at 532-9433,” Manglona said.

While the rental car was found abandoned on Rota last April 5, it was only last May 22 when the parents flew to Saipan from China to look for their son. The father reported the matter to DPS Saipan last May 30.

The DPS Saipan information office released the information about the missing tourist to the media last Monday.

The parents told police that Qiao left China alone last March 6 for vacation on Saipan. Upon his arrival on Saipan, he checked in at the GT Guest House in Garapan and checked out on April 4.

The parents said their son notified them that he was going to Rota on April 4 and that it was their last communication with him.