Chinese researcher “close to Covid19 breakthrough” found dead

The fatal shooting of a Chinese-born coronavirus researcher on US soil has fuelled conspiracy theories around the world.
Bing Liu, a 37-year-old assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, was found dead in his house on Saturday.
Colleagues said he was close to making "significant findings" on his studies of Covid-19, sparking online speculation it was an assassination.
But police say it was a murder-suicide.

He was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the head, neck, torso and extremities at his home in the Pittsburgh suburbs, according to the local police department.
The gunman was identified as 46-year-old software engineer Hao Gu. Authorities say he took his own life after returning to his car.
Liu and Gu knew each other, homicide detectives said.
The investigation has determined it was a murder-suicide resulting from "a lengthy dispute regarding an intimate partner".
They said there was "zero evidence" the case was linked to Liu's research work and the current public health crisis.

In a statement, Liu's colleagues describe him as an outstanding researcher who "was on the verge of making very significant findings" towards understanding the cellular mechanisms of Covid-19 infection.