PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — A lawyer says the family of a Chinese scholar will ask a federal jury to recommend that the man convicted of abducting and killing her be put to death.

The jury found former University of Illinois doctoral student Brendt Christensen guilty Monday in the kidnapping and slaying of the 26-year-old Yingying Zhang.

Zhidong Wang represents Zhang’s family. He told reporters shortly after the verdict that the family has already asked prosecutors to request the death penalty.

With Zhang’s parents standing behind him, Wang says the family still can’t imagine how they will spend the rest of their lives without her.

Her body has never been found.

Nonetheless, Wang said the family believes other Chinese families should still send their children to study in the United States. He called the killing an isolated incident.