Saratoga News

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Saratoga's Chuang found dead in San Diego

By Jennifer M. van der Kleut

Friends and family members are grieving over the unexplained death of 25-year-old Karen Chuang, whose body was found outside her San Diego home the morning of Aug. 28.

Chuang, who grew up in the area and graduated from Saratoga High School in 1998, had reportedly moved to the San Diego area to accept a job at Accelrys, a web firm, about a year ago.

Chuang was discovered by a young man who was returning to his grandmother's home in her condominium neighborhood a little after 2 a.m. on Aug. 28. The witness told San Diego police he noticed her body lying in the gutter next to her car in the parking lot, and upon closer inspection discovered she was bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head. Police arrived on the scene a little after 2:30 a.m.

Lt. Kevin Rooney of the San Diego police says a neighbor reported hearing some kind of popping noise a little after 1 a.m., but never thought a shooting could occur happen in the quiet neighborhood. The witness went back to sleep thinking it must have been a firecracker. Another witness reported hearing footsteps running south into the alley after the popping noise, presumed to be the shooter fleeing the scene.

The police still have no leads or suspects.

"We have no description, so the case is still unsolved, but there's a lot we're doing. We've interviewed her family, her roommate, co-workers, friends, family, even old friends from other states," said Rooney on Sept. 7. "We're just trying to learn all we can about her."

Rooney says, as far as the people they have talked to thus far, no one can think of anyone, such as an angry lover or friend, who would want to hurt Chuang. Rooney says there is no evidence of a robbery, and police say there is no known gang activity in the Carmel Valley area of San Diego where Chuang was living.

For her memorial service, friends wrote a touching eulogy to Chuang, who was known for keeping many of the same close friends since high school and even elementary school, despite their scattering across the country after graduation.

"Something about her was just so approachable. You were lucky if you got to meet her; she was quirky and fun, and so loving," says close friend Victoria Yang, who says Chuang was like a sister to her.

"She paid attention to people and remembered even the smallest, most minute details. She always went out of her way to support us and be there. Now that she's gone, her spirit will always remain with us and I know we will still hear her voice guiding us in our lives."

After graduating from Saratoga High, Chuang went on to earn a degree in cognitive science from UC-Berkeley.

For funeral information, contact Alameda Family Funeral and Cremation at 12341 Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road in Saratoga at 408.257.6262.