A father’s Facebook plea asking his son to return home came to light days after the son, a New York Times executive, was allegedly killed in a California park by his 77-year-old in-laws.
Jonathan McKinsey posted a smiling picture of himself on Facebook on Sept. 7. His father, William Finney II, responded with a message expressing hope that the family could reconnect.
“Jon, hope everything is going well,” Finney wrote. “Hope you can visit us when you have some free time. Mom and Dad love you so much and miss you. Hope everything goes well with you and Candice and the kids.”
Fewer than three weeks later, McKinsey, 40, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Dublin Sports Grounds. Prosecutors allege his in-laws, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, had been waiting to ambush him.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office charged Zhang and Chen with murder, alleging they deliberately killed McKinsey after “lying in wait.”
Multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunshots. A Dublin Police Services sergeant who arrived at the scene found McKinsey suffering from several gunshot wounds.
Shili Chen, 77, was booked into Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of murder after the fatal shooting of her son-in-law, Jonathan McKinsey, authorities said. (Alameda County Sheriff’s Office)
Witnesses told police that a black Honda Civic had sped away from the parking lot, prompting officers to carry out a high-risk traffic stop nearby, court documents state. Chen was reportedly behind the wheel, with Zhang in the passenger seat.
Three witnesses identified Chen and Zhang as the people who fired the shots. Surveillance footage allegedly showed the pair opening fire on McKinsey “in concert.”
Investigators said the couple opened fire in a busy parking area with “blatant disregard for public safety,” despite several children being close by.
According to court documents, Zhang later told investigators that he had shot McKinsey. Police also recovered a second firearm that Zhang allegedly acknowledged using during the killing.
Shouyong Zhang, 77, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the fatal shooting of his son-in-law, Jonathan McKinsey, in Dublin, California. (Alameda County Sheriff’s Office)
The shooting occurred against the backdrop of a contentious divorce, a child custody fight and separate domestic violence allegations involving McKinsey and his estranged wife, Candice Jang.
News Media previously examined court dockets showing that several hearings were still scheduled in the coming months. They included a family law status conference on Oct. 2 and a three-day hearing on domestic violence restraining orders set for December.
Court filings show McKinsey initiated divorce proceedings in December. KTVU reported that the couple had been married for 14 years but were living separately, while Jang held sole legal and physical custody of their three children.
The records also detail allegations of domestic violence from both sides. Jang secured a temporary restraining order in October 2025. About two months later, and roughly one week before that order was due to expire, McKinsey requested a restraining order of his own.
Jonathan McKinsey, a New York Times Games engineering executive, was shot and killed Saturday afternoon in Dublin, California, and his parents-in-law were arrested on suspicion of murder within minutes, authorities said. (Jon McKinsey/Facebook)
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In court documents, McKinsey accused Jang of physically and emotionally abusing him on a weekly basis and of mistreating their children.
“I truly believe that she would hurt or even kill them if she believed there was any possibility of me having the children in my custody and care,” McKinsey wrote in a declaration reviewed by KTVU.
McKinsey, who was transgender, also described disputes with his in-laws in legal filings. He alleged that Chen directed anti-LGBTQ slurs at both him and his son when McKinsey intervened.
Jonathan McKinsey, a New York Times Games engineering executive, was shot and killed Saturday afternoon in Dublin, California, and his parents-in-law were arrested on suspicion of murder within minutes, authorities said. (Jon McKinsey/Facebook)
McKinsey also accused Zhang of striking him in the chest while he was recovering from double mastectomy surgery in 2010.
McKinsey also alleged Jang forced him to eat a dead cockroach and once struck him with a frying pan.
In her protection order request, Jang alleged McKinsey physically and emotionally abused her, their children and her parents, asking the court to keep him away from all of them.
“He can be vindictive, and I worry he will retaliate against me and the people listed above,” she wrote.
Jonathan McKinsey, a New York Times Games engineering executive, was shot and killed Saturday afternoon in Dublin, California, and his parents-in-law were arrested on suspicion of murder within minutes, authorities said. (Jon McKinsey/Facebook)
Jang also wrote that she slept with a pair of scissors near her bed for protection in 2021.
Prosecutors separately charged McKinsey in October with two misdemeanor counts alleging he struck his 6-year-old son and left his 2-year-old child home alone while shopping, according to KTVU.
McKinsey denied intentionally leaving the toddler behind, arguing in court filings that Jang orchestrated the situation to frame him.
Despite the ongoing legal battles, a judge later approved unsupervised public visits with the couple’s three children.
Police also served a search warrant at Jang’s home Tuesday night. Authorities have not disclosed what investigators were seeking.
It was not immediately clear Thursday whether Zhang or Chen had retained attorneys to represent them.
News Media reached out to members of McKinsey’s family seeking comment but did not immediately receive a response. Jang could not immediately be reached.
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