"Chinese Detective" Li Changyu Passes Away at 87, Who Participated in the Watergate Scandal and O.J. Simpson's Wife Murder Case. Chinese Students Recall: Half a year ago, he gave a standing speech for an hour and a half, and his mental state was good.

Ask AI · What stories lie behind Li Changyu’s vitality in the lecture six months ago?

Jimu News Reporter Chen Yangyang

According to CCTV News, on March 27 local time, renowned Chinese-American forensic expert and lifelong professor at the University of New Haven, Li Changyu, passed away at his home in Nevada due to illness at the age of 87. Li Changyu had participated in the review of hundreds of cases and contributed to the investigation of several major criminal cases.

Li Changyu

In the early hours of March 28 Beijing time, Jimu News reporters contacted several international students in the U.S. who attended Dr. Li Changyu’s lecture six months ago. According to their recollections, Dr. Li’s mental state was quite good at that time.

International student Xiao Hu told reporters that the lecture took place on September 13, 2025, organized by a nonprofit organization in New York, and many people attended, filling the entire venue. The lecture was divided into two parts; in the first part, Li Changyu mainly talked about his work experience and the Simpson case, while the second part consisted of a seated interview.

Li Changyu is signing

“Dr. Li’s mental state was very good during his speech; he interacted with the audience while recounting his experiences, throwing gifts and souvenirs into the audience. He spoke for about an hour and a half while standing.” As he spoke, Xiao Hu showed reporters a photo showing Dr. Li signing a book.

Xiao Hu mentioned that he is from Jiangsu and considers himself a “fellow townsman” of Dr. Li, so even though he is not a law student, he attended the lecture. During the lecture, an old friend who had worked with Dr. Li for many years also came to listen and spoke a few words at the end. “I think he had a strong spirit of perseverance and inquiry, was very passionate about criminal investigation, and was very approachable during the lecture, connecting closely with all the audience members,” Xiao Hu said.

Another international student, Xiao Han, also stated that Dr. Li often traveled to various places for events, with his wife always accompanying him. When he saw him six months ago, Dr. Li was in great spirits, looking very healthy and mentally alert, always joking around. “However, the way he presented facts and reasoning during the lecture was very persuasive. After listening, I also got Dr. Li’s autograph, thinking I would meet him again later, but he has now passed away,” Xiao Han said.

Li Changyu

Public records show that Li Changyu was born in 1938 in Rugao, Jiangsu, a Chinese-American forensic expert, and is currently the honorary chairman of the Connecticut Scientific Advisory Center and a lifelong professor at the University of New Haven in Connecticut.

In 1998, Li Changyu served as the Commissioner of the Connecticut State Police, becoming the first Chinese-American to hold the highest position in a state police department in the United States.

With his unique criminal investigation and forensic techniques, Li Changyu has assisted in solving over 8,000 cases across various states in the U.S. and in 47 countries worldwide, participating in high-profile cases such as the Woodchipper murder case, the Kennedy rape case, the Nixon Watergate scandal, the Clinton sex scandal, and the so-called “trial of the century,” the Simpson murder case.

Li Changyu has received numerous honors, including the Lifetime Honorary Award from the International Association of Forensic Sciences, the highest judicial honor from the American Justice Foundation, the World Outstanding Chinese Award, the Friendship Award from the Chinese government, and over 800 other honorary awards.

(Source: Jimu News)