Ms. Huang said Ms. Lu acted as a kind of matchmaker among Boston University's Chinese student community, helping people find roommates and make friends, Ms. Huang said.

WSJ: Chinese Pour Out Grief for Student

Similarly, an analysis of national crime statistics done last year by University of Florida criminology student Nicholas Branic found that living in a gated community does not significantly influence a person's likelihood of victimization.

WSJ: Should You Buy in a Gated Community?--WSJ House Talk