A California couple has been formally charged with murder after authorities allege they fatally shot their son-in-law in a public park on Saturday.
Shouyong Zhang, 77, and Shili Chen, 77, were arraigned Wednesday on charges including murder, lying in wait, and firearm use in the death of Jonathan McKinsey, 40, a director of engineering for The New York Times’ games department. McKinsey was shot multiple times in the parking lot of a sports complex in Dublin, California, on Saturday afternoon. Police reported that a sergeant witnessed the shooting and detained the couple as they attempted to leave the scene. A firearm was found in Chen’s possession, and prosecutors stated that Zhang admitted to shooting McKinsey during an interview. Surveillance video recovered by authorities allegedly shows both Chen and Zhang firing at the victim.
McKinsey’s estranged wife, Candice Jang, appeared virtually at the arraignment. She has not publicly commented on the case. Police executed a raid on the family’s shared townhome in Dublin on Tuesday evening, though no further arrests were made. Jang was seen walking with her three children in the neighborhood on Wednesday, accompanied by a friend who requested privacy due to the children’s presence.
Court documents reveal a history of allegations between McKinsey and his in-laws. McKinsey, who transitioned from female to male in 2010, had previously filed for restraining orders against Jang and her parents, alleging verbal and physical abuse spanning over 15 years. These claims included assertions that Zhang punched McKinsey while he was recovering from a double mastectomy and that Chen used anti-LGBTQ+ slurs toward him and one of their children. Jang, in her own filings, accused McKinsey of hitting one of their sons and abusing her. The couple had been embroiled in a contentious divorce and custody dispute over their three children, ages 7, 5, and 3, with a hearing scheduled for this week.
Prosecutors allege the killing occurred days before a scheduled court hearing in the divorce case. Zhang and Chen are held without bail, and if convicted of the murder charge, they face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole due to the premeditation implied by the ‘lying in wait’ allegation. Their attorneys have not been reachable for comment prior to the court appearance.
The case has drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding McKinsey’s death, including his transgender identity and the ongoing legal battles between him and his family. McKinsey’s cousin, Lovell Garner, suggested to media outlets that the in-laws may have acted to support Jang’s custody bid, though he described the situation as shocking and unprecedented. Friends and family of McKinsey have expressed grief and disbelief following the incident.