In the quiet suburb of Ross Township, just north of Pittsburgh, the life of a promising researcher was tragically cut short on a pleasant spring day. Bing Liu, a 37-year-old male research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, was found deceased in his home on May 2, 2020. A native of China, Liu was shot multiple times in his head, neck, and torso.
His wife was not at home at the time of the incident, and neighbors reported hearing no gunshots, possibly due to the open patio doors of Liu's townhouse.
The investigation into Liu's death quickly led police to a second man, 46-year-old Hao Gu, who was found dead in his car nearby from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities determined that Gu, a software architect, had shot and killed Liu before taking his own life. The Ross Township Police Department investigated the case as a murder-suicide.
As the investigation progressed, police uncovered a motive unrelated to Liu's professional life. The tragic events were the result of a 'lengthy dispute regarding an intimate partner,' according to law enforcement. Police definitively stated they found 'zero evidence' to suggest the murder was connected to Liu's employment at the University of Pittsburgh or his research. At the time of his death, Liu was studying the cellular mechanisms of the SARS-CoV-2 infection and was described by his colleagues as being on the verge of making 'very significant findings.' The case was eventually forwarded to federal authorities because neither Liu nor Gu were U.S. citizens.
