[4] Garrison Command state he was released to return to his brother's apartment, but his body was discovered on the campus of NTU the next morning.

"[9] Garrison Command spokesman General Hsu Mei-ling echoed the accusations of suicide, adding that they did not believe his activities did not reach a criminal level.

[20][27] Carnegie Mellon's president, Richard Cyert further stated that he had plenty of reasons to live, with a one-year-old son and a promising academic career.

[31][32] Garrison Command officials contend Chen confessed to seditious acts during his return to Taiwan, soliciting funds to support the anti-government Formosa Magazine[29] and attempting to establish democratic reforms.

[13] CMU President Cyert wrote a letter to Chiang Ching-kuo, who then promised a complete investigation into Chen's death.

[19][34] Cyert later pressed for State Department[11] and congressional investigations[35] once it became clear the KMT-led government had no intention of uncovering the true culprits.

[39] Wecht traveled to Taipei with Morris H. DeGroot, chair of the CMU statistics department in September 1981 to launch their own investigation.

[40][41] Wecht concluded, following a visual examination,[42] and later published in The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology that Chen was murdered,[33] "both the location of the body and the pattern of injuries are consonant with the explanation that Chen's body was held in as horizontal position over the railing of the fire escape and dropped onto the ground below.

[42][45][46] To protest the government's insufficient investigation, Chen's family refused to inter his body,[47] and the funeral was not held until 7 January 1982.

[31] Leach asked the U.S. Attorney General to take positive steps to combat spying, including determining whether or not the use of "professional students" violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

[32] James Soong, then the head of the Taiwan Government Information Office, flatly denied student spying allegations.

The letter never received a response, but it was brought up the next year at a student assembly meeting, where it was referred to the Gallery of NTU History.

[59] On June 19, 2021, NTU faculty, staff, and student representatives voted and approved a proposal to include a plaque commemorating Chen at the memorial site.

[24]: 148 Chen's family filed suit against five officials of the Taiwan Garrison General Headquarters in 2001, seeking the truth behind the events leading up to his death.