Courtesy of ABC Local
Courtesy of ABC Local

Since her arrest in May 2013, former UC Riverside student Barbara Wu has spent the last few months in court, denying allegations that she plotted to kill two of her ex-boyfriends.

In May 2013, investigators received a tip that Wu had asked then-boyfriend Dennis Lin to kidnap, harm and kill one of her ex-boyfriends. Lin admitted that he had helped Wu egg her ex-boyfriend’s car and that he also helped her post a sex ad on Craigslist. Lin, however, drew the line after Wu allegedly asked him to break the knees of her ex-boyfriend, kill him and ultimately dump the body in Mexico.

The UCPD investigated the report and proceeded to set up “a sting operation” in which Lin would secretly record his conversations with Wu. According to officials, the recorded conversations indeed indicated that Wu had asked Lin to harm and kill her ex. After receiving sufficient information to pursue an arrest, the police took Wu into custody on May 23, 2013.

Since then, Wu has appeared in court multiple times. She initially pleaded not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges including stalking, vandalism and trying to dissuade a witness. But additional allegations have surfaced since Wu’s arrest.

On Aug. 5, another of Wu’s ex-boyfriends decided to testify against her and also accused Wu of soliciting murder. According to that witness, whose name has yet to be revealed, Wu asked him to kidnap and torture her former high school boyfriend in May 2010.

The witness stated that he ended their relationship soon after, but has since lived in fear of Wu. “I dropped out of school for a year to avoid her,” he said.

Dennis Lin also appeared in court and provided additional information about the accused. He stated that Wu’s intention was to kill her ex and then commit suicide in a Virginia Tech-style murder, referring to the 2007 massacre in which a student gunned down over 30 people on the campus and subsequently ended his own life.

“She was going to commit suicide. That she would rather go do as Virginia Tech, but she would try to contain it so that [her ex] would be in that shooting,” he said.

Wu’s attorney Rajan Maline claims that all the allegations lack proof, however, stating that no undeniable evidence exists that suggests Wu actually laid out a plan to solicit or commit murder.

“Not a plan to harm him, not a plan to egg his car, to do further mischief to him, I’m talking about a plan to kill,” Maline said.

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, Wu once again appeared in court. She pleaded not guilty to two additional charges accusing her of soliciting murder.

Wu is due back in court on Oct. 29. She remains in custody on $500,000 bail. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison.