The trans New York Times executive allegedly murdered in a Bay Area parking lot in broad daylight by his 77-year-old in-laws previously allegedly threatened to kill his wife and in-laws, according to court documents.
Jonathan McKinsey, 40, was killed by Shouyong Zhang, 77, and Shili Chen, 77, –– who witnesses say took turns shooting him in the parking lot at Dublin Sports Grounds in Dublin, CA on Saturday afternoon.
“During our marriage, the children and I learned to avoid provoking Jonathan lest he became angry. In my experience, appearing agreeable or happy around him was sometimes a means of avoiding his anger,” McKinsey’s wife, Candice Jang, said in an August custody filing obtained by the California Post. The filing was first reported on by The Mercury News.
Jang and McKinsey married in 2010, but she filed for divorce in 2025 after he allegedly became abusive to her and one of their young children, a boy.
Jang claimed McKinsey had recently presented a book to the couple’s three children about a mother who died.
“Jonathan dismisses my concern about a book he provided to the children concerning the death of a mother. He omits the context that makes the conduct frightening to me. Jonathan has previously threatened to kill me and my parents,” she said in the documents.
The 40-year-old newspaper executive allegedly gave the children a book about a young girl “mourning the death of her mother, as a birthday present.” “However, given his prior threats against my life, I found the choice deeply disturbing and frightening,” she added.
Jang would then go on to say that her husband would blame every problem on someone else rather than take responsibility.
McKinsey had filed for divorce last year, and was in the middle of a nasty custody battle with Jang. He was accused of abusing Jang and their three children –– ages 3, 5 and 7.
Jang had filed a restraining order against McKinsey in 2025, and he replied back by filing a restraining order of his own that same year.
McKinsey was charged with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse for the incident, but was ultimately released from jail on the condition that he take parenting classes.
Jang submitted an additional court filing updating the court on custody issue and addressing false testimony she claimed was given by her husband.
The former executive transitioned from female to male in 2010 and got married to Jang in 2011. The estranged couple were set to be in court over the issue of custody this Friday prior to the shooting.
The 40-year-old joined the New York Times in early 2023 as a senior engineering manager for the games platform and became director of engineering for games player experience in late 2025.
Cops have zeroed in on the family conflict as a possible motive for the shocking crime that saw both halves of the elderly couple allegedly open fire on McKinsey.
