California Couple Charged in Shooting Death of Their Son-in-Law

A California couple has been charged with murder after their son-in-law was shot to death at a public sports complex, authorities said.

Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, were arrested after the shooting of 40-year-old Jonathan McKinsey in a parking lot near the Dublin Sports Grounds in Dublin, California, on September 26, 2026.

McKinsey was a director of engineering for The New York Times Games. Police found him suffering from multiple gunshot wounds after a police sergeant driving nearby saw him lying on the ground.

Couple arrested near the scene

Emergency calls were made shortly after the shooting, with witnesses pointing officers toward the couple, according to authorities.

Police detained Zhang and Chen as they were leaving the parking lot. Investigators found a firearm in Chen’s possession, while another firearm was later recovered from their vehicle.

Prosecutors said Zhang admitted during an interview that he had shot McKinsey. Authorities also said surveillance footage showed both defendants firing at the victim.

Murder charges filed

The couple appeared briefly in court after prosecutors filed murder charges. The arraignment was postponed, and Chen told the judge through an interpreter that she could not afford to hire a lawyer. A public defender was assigned to represent her.

The murder charges include additional allegations of lying in wait and using a firearm.

Those allegations have not been proven in court. Zhang and Chen are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless they are found guilty through the judicial process.

Shooting came during a family custody dispute

The killing occurred while McKinsey and the couple’s daughter, Candice Jang, were involved in a contentious divorce and custody dispute involving their three children.

Court documents show that McKinsey and Jang had filed competing requests for domestic violence protection orders. Both sides made allegations of abuse against members of the family.

McKinsey had also sought more time with his children. In late August, he was granted unsupervised visits in public twice a week.

The shooting happened about one week before a scheduled hearing in the divorce case.

Investigation continues

Authorities have not announced a final motive for the killing. Prosecutors are expected to present evidence concerning the shooting, the surveillance footage and the firearms recovered by investigators.

McKinsey joined The New York Times in 2023 and worked as a director of engineering for the newspaper’s Games division. He was based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The case remains before the Alameda County Superior Court as prosecutors and defense attorneys prepare for further proceedings.

Sources: Associated Press, ABC News, The Guardian.