NY Times Executive Allegedly Murdered by In-Laws Amid Bitter Divorce

Jonathan McKinsey, 40, a transgender executive for The New York Times, was fatally shot in a California parking lot last weekend, with court documents alleging his in-laws are responsible. Police arrested Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, who are accused of shooting McKinsey outside a Dublin Sports Grounds store in Dublin, California.

The motive for the killing is under investigation, but court filings reveal McKinsey was in the midst of a contentious divorce from his wife, Candice Jang, and had previously faced child abuse charges. The couple had exchanged allegations of domestic violence, with Jang obtaining a temporary restraining order in October 2025, shortly before McKinsey filed his own restraining order against her in December 2025.

In his filing, McKinsey claimed his wife subjected him to weekly physical and emotional abuse. He also alleged that Jang once hit him with a frying pan and forced him to eat a cockroach. The filings also accused Jang of being abusive toward their children.

McKinsey, who had been the head of engineering for games player experience at The New York Times since 2023, also claimed his mother-in-law, Shili Chen, became upset when his son, Wyatt, expressed a desire to wear his sister's dresses. McKinsey, who transitioned from female to male, reportedly described it as a "phase," but alleged Chen called the child a "disgusting queer" and a "pervert," and directed similar slurs at McKinsey for being transgender.

According to McKinsey's filing, he begged Chen to stop, but she allegedly turned her anger toward him, blaming him for Wyatt's interest in his sister's dresses and demanding he leave "her house." McKinsey also claimed he sought outside help to prevent Chen from supervising their children, but his wife refused.

McKinsey's filings further detailed allegations of abuse from Jang, including claims that she encouraged him to commit suicide, stating he was "f

cked up and transgender." Jang had also filed a restraining order against McKinsey, alleging he threatened to kill her and her parents.

McKinsey had previously faced two misdemeanor counts of child abuse stemming from a 2023 report alleging he slapped his six-year-old son, leaving a handprint bruise. Jang also accused McKinsey of past violence, including grabbing her wrist forcefully in 2018, an incident that occurred while a two-year-old child was left unattended at home. McKinsey pleaded not guilty to the child abuse charges, which were dismissed pending completion of parenting classes.

At the time of his death, McKinsey was out on bail and attempting to enter a mental health diversion program. The killing occurred a week before a scheduled hearing in his divorce case. Investigators are exploring all potential motives, including the family disputes and disagreements over McKinsey's gender identity.

Zhang and Chen have been arrested and face charges including murder, felony conspiracy, child endangerment, and firing a gun dangerously. Their arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday.