A tragic and shocking case has unfolded in California, where a well-respected doctor has been found dead in her home, the apparent victim of a vicious attack. Allegations point to her estranged husband, who is believed to have committed the crime as their marriage was unraveling.

Yoon “Kevin” Lai, aged 62, appeared in court on Tuesday, where he entered a plea of not guilty to charges including murder and arson. A judge has ordered that Lai remain in custody without bail as he awaits his next court date. The charges stem from the death of his wife, Dr. Irene Gaw-Gonzalo, a 56-year-old endocrinologist, who was discovered lifeless in their San Marino residence on January 6, 2025. Court documents reveal that Gaw-Gonzalo had initiated divorce proceedings for the second time in August 2024, following a previous attempt shortly after their marriage in 2003. Despite reconciling and raising twin sons, now teenagers, the relationship had soured once more.

Details from court documents obtained by The Los Angeles Times paint a harrowing picture of the crime scene, which was far more gruesome than initially disclosed. The investigation revealed the presence of a bloodied frying pan and a metal baseball bat at the site of the attack.

Authorities have indicated that the doctor may have endured further physical injuries aside from the burns she suffered, prompting a full homicide investigation. A report accessed by The Los Angeles Times details that Gaw-Gonzalo had burns covering 60% of her body, in addition to facial fractures and extensive bruising. Despite the evidence, the cause and manner of her death remain officially undetermined.

During a recent court session, relatives of Dr. Gaw-Gonzalo provided testimony about her intentions to permanently end the marriage, suspecting her husband of infidelity. Her sister, who has since become the legal guardian of the couple’s teenage sons, recounted Dr. Gaw-Gonzalo’s desire to dissolve their premarital agreement and ensure her involvement in shared property ownership.

The premarital agreement was ultimately revoked in September 2024. Lai reportedly believed that agreeing to add Gaw-Gonzalo’s name to the properties would make her reconsider the divorce. Instead, she moved forward with ending the marriage.

Fast forward to Jan. 6, 2025, when Lai came to the home to pick up his sons and take them to baseball practice at 7:06 a.m. Lai allegedly told the boys that he would be going to work after dropping them off. Court documents stated that a Ring camera in the neighborhood caught a car that resembled Lai’s car returning to the area near the home at 8:19 a.m.

Gaw-Gonzalo’s next-door neighbor, Connie Morris, stated in a court filing that she reported smoke coming from Gaw-Gonzalo’s home at 9:46 a.m. and called for help. She also testified in court that she saw Lai at Gaw-Gonzalo’s home, “peering out the door.” Morris said Lai asked, “What’s going on?” She responded, “Your house is on fire.” She told the court that Lai appeared to be “bewildered.”

Morris also stated that Lai told her Gaw-Gonzalo was not in the home, that she was picking up their sons from baseball practice. However, Morris testified that Gaw-Gonzalo’s car was still in the home’s driveway.

When it came to the fire, arson investigators said the damage was limited to one room in the house, where Gaw-Gonzalo’s body was found, and that the fires were “intentionally set.” Police said two indoor surveillance cameras that covered the den where the body was found had been “manually disabled.”

Prosecutors allege that Lai killed his wife for financial gain and set the fire to cover up the murder.

Lai’s attorney told The Los Angeles Times in an email, “We look forward to defending these false allegations in Court.”

Lai pleaded not guilty to murder with special circumstances and arson. He was ordered to be held in custody without bond until a bail hearing on Feb. 9.