The man accused in the kidnapping of a well-known father whose abduction ended with his execution in the trunk of a car appeared subdued during his first court appearance, at one point lowering his head as the case was heard.
Jianquan Bo appeared in court Tuesday morning and pleaded not guilty to murder and kidnapping charges tied to the killing of Shukur Aikebaer. Bo, who was represented by an attorney, used an interpreter device during the proceeding.
His next court appearance is scheduled for August 12.
Authorities allege Jianquan helped plan and carry out Aikebaer’s kidnapping. Investigators say his brother, 67-year-old Zhengfeng Bo, fired the fatal shots before he was later killed by deputies in an officer-involved shooting.
The violent chain of events began around 10:14 p.m. on July 29, when investigators say Zhengfeng and Jianquan drove to Aikebaer’s Chino Hills home. Aikebaer, a father of three, was allegedly targeted after the suspects cut power to the residence in what detectives believe was an effort to lure him outside.
When Aikebaer went out to check what had happened, authorities say Zhengfeng Bo shot him once in the torso. The suspects then allegedly forced the injured man into the trunk of their Nissan Altima and drove away.
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A neighbor’s 911 call reporting gunfire, along with a description of the vehicle, helped deputies find the Altima quickly. Deputies tried to pull the car over, but the driver led them on a short pursuit of roughly two miles before stopping in Chino Hills.
Sheriff Shannon Dicus said deputies did not know anyone was in the trunk at the time. Investigators allege Zhengfeng got out of the vehicle, opened the trunk and shot Aikebaer in the head, killing him.
Deputies immediately returned fire, killing Zhengfeng at the scene. Jianquan was taken into custody, and Aikebaer was pronounced dead.
Authorities say the killing stemmed from a deteriorating business relationship, possibly involving financial losses or disagreements over company decisions.
Zhengfeng was CEO of Panshi Inc., a commercial real estate firm, while Aikebaer served as the company’s chief financial officer and secretary. Panshi was also embroiled in a lawsuit with Panoptic Development over control of a $20 million, 75-unit Pasadena apartment complex.
Court records show Panshi, which owned a 70% stake in the property, voted in March to remove Panoptic as the building’s manager.
San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson said Zhengfeng Bo’s family has been left devastated by the events, during a news conference Monday.
