The body of Yale student Annie Le, who was found dead behind a wall on what should have been her wedding day, has been returned to Northern California for her funeral.

Funeral director Dennis Hamilton of Green Valley Mortuary in Rescue has said that Le’s family has requested that all details about her funeral be kept private. A memorial service is planned in New York later this month.

The 24-year-old pharmacology student was killed on Sept. 8, just five days before her wedding, and then hidden in a Yale University laboratory’s basement. A lab technician, Ray Clark 3rd, 24, has been charged with the murder.

Le’s family has stated that they have felt some closure after Clark’s arrest. Le’s adviser, Anton Bennett, has said that “the tragic loss of Annie Le, who had become an integral member of our laboratory, now seeds another source of inspiration. Annie Le’s work will continue. We will draw upon the energy of Annie Le’s life to help us fulfill our efforts of striving to make a difference in this world.”

Here on the campus of the University of New Haven, Editor-in-Chief Zack Rosen had the opportunity to speak with forensic science legend and professor Henry C. Lee. According to Dr. Lee, the evidence against Clark is solid. While Dr. Lee will likely be called in for reviewing of the case, he is not needed anymore because it is about to enter a “lengthy legal process.” Instead, Lee plans on heading south to assist in cases in the New Orleans area.

Henry Lee is especially proud of the upcoming Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010. Included in the institute will be a national crisis center, which will help cases like the Le case in the future. Advice from faculty and experts in the field will be prominent in the institute, and local or state investigators who don’t have the funding for a similar institute may be able to use the institute’s resources.

The University of New Haven is additionally helping the community’s criminal justice system by creating an investigation manual, which will be given out to local and regional offices.

“Of course,” says Dr. Lee, “the Annie Le case touches upon an important civil issue: campus security.” While Dr. Lee admits the school is undergoing a tremendous transformation and a continuous record-breaking enrollment, “we have to pay attention to the students’ safety even more than before.” Dr. Lee continued to explain that we don’t have the same type of situation at the University of New Haven because, unlike Yale University, most of UNH’s research takes place during the day instead of at night.

UNH students obviously agree that the university is taking an incredible step towards becoming an even better institution than it already is. According to UNH Graduate Student Richard Charry, Jr. ’11, “this is extremely interesting especially since it is getting national attention. Makes me glad that I am at the CJ Grad program at UNH and that Dr. Lee is affiliated with UNH.”

Annie Le vanished from Yale on Sept. 8, 2009; her body was found hidden in a wall five days later. Raymond Clark III has been charged with her murder.

As of the time that this paper was printed, he has not entered a plea.