Wharton undergraduate Irina Malinovskaya remains in custody after a preliminary hearing for first-degree murder charges Friday morning.
Malinovskaya, 22, is charged with bludgeoning Irina Zlotnikov, 24, to death on Dec. 23 in New Castle, Del.
Zlotnikov, a pharmacology student at Temple University, was found dead in the home of her boyfriend, who had previously dated Malinovskaya.
The victim's boyfriend, whom The Philadelphia Inquirer identified as Robert Bondar, is a law student at Widener University in Chester, Pa.
New Castle Police spokesman Trinidad Navarro said investigators immediately began interviewing associates of Bondar after the victim was discovered. One neighbor reported the presence of a suspicious vehicle outside Bondar's home.
"The witness said he saw a white Chevy Cavalier, a newer model, parked out front of his home on the 22nd and on the 23rd," Navarro said. "According to the witness, the woman who was the occupant of the vehicle appeared to be watching his house."
Police matched the neighbor's description of the car and partial license plate number with a vehicle that Malinovskaya had rented earlier, prompting them to conduct further investigations.
"We went to her house, at that point armed with the information we needed to have an arrest warrant," Navarro said. "We found some items inside her home and seized some items inside her home."
After her arrest, Malinovskaya was checked into the Baylor Women's Correctional Institution in New Castle. Friday's hearing determined that sufficient preliminary evidence existed to sustain police allegations. Malinovskaya will therefore remain in the institution without bail until her trial.
"Knowing what the schedules are for murder cases here ... it won't be scheduled until this fall, anyway, of 2005," said Peter Letang, chief prosecutor for the New Castle Department of Justice.
Undergraduate and alumni friends of Malinovskaya said the alleged crime is incongruous with her compassionate nature.
"She was in my finance group last year ... and she was a very nice girl, a smart girl, always very sweet, very kind," Wharton senior Ryan Bell said.
A closer friend, who asked not to be identified, agreed. He said Malinovskaya enthusiastically participated in charity events as a member and president of Penn's Russian Cultural Association.
Though Malinovskaya has been charged with the crime, her guilt is not assured. Navarro said police will continue to search for more evidence and possible leads.
"The investigation is still ongoing; we are still doing interviews," Navarro said. "As of [Thursday], we are still doing photo lineups."
But Letang said prosecutors will proceed as though Malinovskaya is guilty.
"If the evidence is such, she will be indicted," Letang said.
Meanwhile, the community offered sympathies to Zlotnikov's family. Eryn Jelesiewicz, spokeswoman for Temple University's Health Sciences Center, said the loss has been tragic.
"We are extremely saddened by the death of Irina Zlotnikov," Jelesiewicz said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends."
The Penn police department has not been involved with the investigation.
Malinovskaya was expected to graduate in December, but graduation records have not been processed.
As of yesterday, neither Bondar nor Malinovskaya's lawyer, Eugene J. Maurer Jr., could be reached for comment.
