NY Times Executive's Wife Claims He Gave Daughter Disturbing Book Amid Divorce Battle

The wife of a murdered New York Times executive has alleged in court documents that her husband, Jonathan McKinsey, gifted their daughter a book about mourning a dead mother, a choice she found disturbing in the context of their contentious divorce and his alleged threats. Candice Jang described the gift as "deeply disturbing and frightening" in light of McKinsey's alleged threats against her and her parents.

The book, titled "The Memory String," reportedly depicts a girl mourning her mother's death. McKinsey, a transgender man who was the head of engineering for games player experience at The New York Times, was in the midst of a divorce from Jang when he was killed in a parking lot in Dublin, California. His in-laws, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, are accused of his murder.

Both McKinsey and Jang had filed for restraining orders against each other during their divorce proceedings. In his December 2025 filing, McKinsey alleged weekly physical and emotional abuse by Jang, including claims that she once hit him with a frying pan and submerged a cat in a bucket. He also alleged that Jang's mother, Shili Chen, directed anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at him and their son, calling the child a "disgusting queer" and a "pervert" for wanting to wear his sister's dresses.

McKinsey also claimed Jang was abusive during medical procedures related to his transition and that her father, Shouyong Zhang, punched him while he was recovering from a double mastectomy. He had previously faced misdemeanor child abuse charges in 2023, though he pleaded not guilty and claimed Jang had been abusive towards him.

Jang, in her restraining order filing, alleged that McKinsey had threatened to kill her and her parents. Her attorney stated in court documents that McKinsey was "simply prone to domestic violence and child abuse."

McKinsey had sought more time with the couple's three children, citing limited supervised visits. The circumstances surrounding McKinsey's death, including the alleged motives of Zhang and Chen, are still under investigation. Police are examining all angles of the relationships and histories of those involved.

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