UvA Student Found: What is Known So Far and What is Left to Unfold?
By Yury Babinyan | News | April 1, 2025
Cover Illustration: Missing! flyer of Shengmen Luo on post across his building, 2025. Andrea Michel.
Luo Shengmen was a PhD student at the Institute of Logic, Language, and Computation at UvA. Previously, he studied philosophy at Tsinghua University (THU) in Beijing and recently arrived in Amsterdam in September. In an interview with Folia, Qian Chen, a fellow PhD student who also taught Luo, described him as “a nice guy with a sense of humor, passionate about music and his studies.”
February 22
Luo’s friend, Qifan, who also lives in the same student housing, told Folia that on February 22, they studied together from 4 PM to 11 PM and planned to do the same the next day. However, Luo never showed up at their study spot. Qifan initially assumed that Luo might have left earlier because he was late. He later sent Luo a message, but there was no response.
February 23
This was the last day Luo was seen at his student housing on Poeldijkstraat in Amsterdam. Later, when his disappearance became a matter of concern and UvA got involved, the student housing landlord confirmed that Luo last used his room access key on February 23. A fellow resident also reported seeing him at a nearby supermarket. After this day, none of Luo’s friends or family members heard from him.
March 1
After Luo’s colleagues noticed that he had missed several classes and was not responding to messages, they reached out to his neighbors, who then contacted the landlord for more information. When the concerns reached UvA, they attempted to contact the emergency numbers listed in Luo’s student account. However, due to incorrect details, reaching his relatives took longer than expected.
On March 1, after UvA finally reached the family and confirmed that Luo was not on holiday in China, an official emergency was declared, and the university contacted the police.
Community Support
Throughout the entire process, Luo’s friends and family have been active and cooperative. Among his relatives, his uncle was the first to arrive, and some time later, his mother came to Amsterdam after resolving visa issues. A WeChat group chat was created to connect his mother with people willing to assist in the case.
The response from the community was notably supportive—volunteers helped with translations, provided emotional support, and spread awareness about the case. Flyers with relevant information were distributed around student housing areas and later near the search site. Additionally, groups of Chinese students contributed to the investigation by organizing search efforts.
Police Investigation
At the start of the investigation, there were no clear traces of Luo’s whereabouts. One theory suggested that he might have left the country, but this was quickly dismissed when his uncle and some neighbors entered his room on March 11 and found his wallet, phone, laptop, and passport.
On March 14, at 11:15 AM, police launched a search in the Nieuwe Meer area, deploying boats and search dogs after detecting Luo’s phone signal. Since he had two phones, they were able to track the one he had with him.
The initial searches were unsuccessful. The police encouraged the general public to participate in the search efforts but remained discreet about their investigative procedures when contacted by The Amsterdammer.
March 20
The Amsterdammer reached out to the police for the latest updates. The spokesperson remained reserved, only stating that the investigation was ongoing and that members of the public could assist by searching in the Nieuwe Meer area.
March 21
At 11 AM, a body was discovered in the lake at Nieuwe Meer. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance is still ongoing, and it remains uncertain whether all details will be disclosed due to privacy concerns for the family.
Currently, various theories are circulating on public forums and news outlets. However, none have been confirmed by the police. We encourage our readers to be cautious and avoid spreading misinformation.
March 28
The identity of the body was confirmed to be Luo Shengmen by the police. The surrounding area is still enclosed by the police and the police still urges to cooperate with them in case there is relevant information that can help to solve the case. The police can be contacted at: 0900-8844. Police are piecing together the chain of events that led to the death of Luo. Any further details about the investigation process are undisclosed now for the media and it is still unknown whether they will be made public.
The University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science is planning to hold a memorial for Luo, with more details on the event to be published soon.
The entire staff of The Amsterdammer extends its deepest condolences to Luo Shengmen’s friends and family.
Yury Babinyan is a university student in Amsterdam. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Amsterdammer.
