Chicago man charged with kidnapping for ransom, attempted murder in San Gabriel Valley case

ALHAMBRA -- A Chicago man appeared in court briefly this week in connection with the alleged brutal kidnapping for ransom and attempted murder of a 21-year-old woman.
DeQiang Song, 24, was charged Monday with in Alhambra Superior Court in connection with the Sept. 8 incident, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office Spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said in a written statement.
Song "strangled the victim and sliced her throat with a knife and left her for dead," Gibbons said.
Officials described the woman only as a San Gabriel Valley resident.
The woman, who had met Song about a week before at a social club, asked Song to take her to a San Gabriel Valley mall, sheriff's and district attorney's officials said.
After the shopping trip, Song allegedly drove the woman to a secluded portion of desert between Apple Valley and Victorville, Lt. Kent Wegener of the Sheriff's Major Crimes Bureau said.
After tying the woman up, Song then called the woman's father in Cerritos and demanded ransom for her return, according to sheriff's and district attorney's officials.
During the conversation , authorities said, Song strangled the woman, slashed her throat and left her alone in the desert, officials said.
A nearby resident came upon the critically injured woman later on Sept. 8 and she was hospitalized, sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said. Despite life-threatening injuries, she was expected to survive.
Whether or not a sexual assault also took place was under investigation, Wegener said.
Investigators arrested Song about 1:10 a.m. Sept. 9 as he allegedly tried to pick up the ransom money at a prearranged spot in San Gabriel, officials said.
"Investigators used the father to negotiate the ransom payment and lured the kidnapper out to that area, where arrest was made," Wegener said.
Deputies jailed Song after he picked up a package that he believed contained the ransom money, he added.
The investigation remained in it's preliminary stages Wednesday, Wegener said, however detective initially believed Song acted alone in the crime.
"At this point, we believe that this is the only suspect," he said.
Little was known about Song, Wegener said, who is believed to have moved to Southern California from Chicago to attend school.
"A lot his history is still under investigation, including his activity in Chicago," he added.
Song was charged with one count of kidnapping for ransom and one count of attempted murder Monday, however he did not enter a plea, Gibbons said. He is due back in Alhambra Superior Court Sept. 29.
If convicted as charged, Song could face life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus one year, Gibbons added.
According to sheriff's booking records, Song was being held in lieu of $2,050,000 bail.