Police seized “pertinent evidence” from the Northern California home of the estranged wife of a transgender New York Times executive allegedly gunned down by his elderly in-laws, adding another twist to the shocking California murder case.
Dublin police confirmed they confiscated property from Candice Jang’s home while executing a search warrant on Sept. 29, three days after her estranged husband, Jonathan McKinsey, 40, was shot dead in broad daylight at the Dublin Sports Grounds.
“I can confirm that items were seized during the execution of the search warrant,” Dublin Police Capt. Miguel Campos told SFGate.
Police have declined to reveal exactly what was taken or whether Jang is considered a person of interest in her husband’s alleged murder. She has not been charged with any crime.
A neighbor told the outlet they watched officers haul away several of Jang’s belongings, including her vehicle and cellphone.
“I personally witnessed law enforcement seizing property,” the neighbor said. “I saw her car being seized and towed away, along with other items, including her phone.”
McKinsey, the New York Times’ director of engineering for games player experience, was allegedly ambushed in a parking lot at the sports complex around 3 p.m. Sept. 26.
His estranged wife’s parents, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, have been charged with murder in connection with the slaying.
Witnesses reported seeing two masked assailants approach McKinsey before multiple shots rang out. Officers patrolling nearby encountered the bloody scene as 911 calls poured in.
First responders desperately tried to save McKinsey, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Zhang and Chen were quickly arrested and booked into Alameda County’s Santa Rita Jail. They face a slew of charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy.
Authorities have not publicly announced a motive.
The killing came amid a bitter family and custody battle involving McKinsey, Jang and their three children.
Explosive court documents showed Jang had previously accused McKinsey of physically disciplining their children. She obtained a domestic violence protection order against him last year after he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor child abuse.
McKinsey, meanwhile, filed for divorce and sought his own protection order against Jang. He also alleged that his mother-in-law had directed anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at him and one of the children, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
McKinsey had also accused his wife of abusive behavior during medical procedures connected to his transition.
At the time of his death, McKinsey was reportedly seeking additional time with his children after his contact had been limited to supervised visits.
McKinsey had built a nearly two-decade career in the tech world, working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Oracle, Coursera and Splunk before joining the New York Times in 2023.
McKinsey eventually rose to director of engineering for games player experience, leading a team working on the brand’s hugely popular puzzle products.
Zhang and Chen remain jailed without bail and are scheduled to return to court for a plea hearing Oct. 19.
