New York Times Games Engineer Fatally Shot in California Park; In-Laws, 77, Arrested
A 77-year-old couple from Dublin, California, has been arrested on suspicion of murder after authorities say they gunned down their son-in-law in a city park over the weekend—a killing that court records link to a bitter divorce and custody fight with their daughter.
Jonathan McKinsey, 40, a gaming engineer and director of engineering for New York Times Games, was shot Saturday afternoon in the parking lot of a sports complex in Dublin, east of San Francisco. Dublin Police Services said in a news release that a police sergeant was driving nearby when witnesses began calling 911 and pointing out the couple, who were still near the scene. The sergeant saw McKinsey on the ground.
Authorities arrested Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77 and from Dublin, on suspicion of murder and other charges. They were scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning. It was not immediately clear whether either had obtained a lawyer. Phone numbers listed for their daughter, Candice Jang, were disconnected.
The shooting happened a week before a hearing was scheduled in the divorce case between McKinsey and Jang, according to court records. The couple had been married since about 2012 and had three young children.
Court records show Jang reported McKinsey to police in 2023, accusing him of shoving one of their children and generally using rough physical discipline. Last October, she obtained a domestic violence protection order against him after he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor child abuse in another case. Police said he acknowledged slapping one child and also charged him with endangering another. At the time he was killed, he was out on bail and had been trying to enter a mental health diversion program, the San Jose Mercury News reported.
McKinsey responded to his wife's court filing by seeking a domestic violence protection order against her and filing for divorce. He later sought more time with the three children, noting that he had been limited to two hours of supervised visits per week since last fall, Alameda County court documents show.
In his petition for a protection order, McKinsey, who was transgender, alleged that Chen had directed anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at him and at one of their children, the Mercury News reported. He also accused Jang of being abusive during medical procedures related to his transition.
McKinsey joined The New York Times in January 2023 and was based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the newspaper said. A spokesperson declined to comment further.
The slaying has shocked Dublin, a suburban city in the East Bay, and underscored how quickly family court disputes can turn violent. While the criminal case against McKinsey's in-laws moves forward, the custody and divorce proceedings that preceded the shooting are expected to remain under scrutiny.