A month after she and her husband were arrested in connection with the alleged killing of their transgender son-in-law, a New York Times executive, Shili Chen is pointing to her husband as the person responsible, according to newly filed court documents and reports.
Chen, 77, and Shouyong Zhang were taken into custody Sept. 26 after Jonathan McKinsey, 40, was allegedly shot in a busy park in Dublin, California.
In a recent bail motion, Chen’s attorneys said she witnessed Zhang fire the deadly shots at McKinsey at the Dublin Sports Grounds while she remained inside their vehicle, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Chen’s legal team now says her husband was responsible for the shooting that killed their transgender son-in-law, New York Times executive Jonathan McKinsey, according to court filings. (Alameda County Sheriff’s Office; Jon McKinsey/Facebook)
Chen’s attorney, Curtis Briggs, said she left the car only because she feared McKinsey was attacking Zhang and wanted to protect her husband, the California Post reported.
Surveillance footage allegedly shows Chen firing at McKinsey after Zhang had already shot him.
Her attorneys maintain that Chen was unaware of Zhang’s alleged plan and had been kept “in the dark” about the intended attack.
According to court documents obtained by News Outlet, Zhang allegedly acknowledged firing the fatal shots several days later after authorities showed him video of the incident.
Zhang reportedly told investigators that he asked Chen to drive him to the park but did not tell her the reason for the trip, the Chronicle said.
Prosecutors contend the couple waited for McKinsey at the park before opening fire. Chen’s lawyer disputes that claim, arguing the evidence does not establish the “lying in wait” allegation.
That allegation is a special circumstance prosecutors have cited in seeking to keep both defendants jailed without bail.
Prosecutors say Chen and Zhang were waiting for McKinsey at the park before the shooting, while Chen’s defense argues that the evidence does not support that claim. (Jon McKinsey/Facebook)
Chen and Zhang are both seeking release while they await trial.
In a separate motion, Zhang’s public defender argued that his age and medical condition make him unlikely to pose a danger and described the shooting as an isolated family dispute.
KEEP READING: Federal Surge to Alaska After ‘Decoy Dan’ Senate Scheme Revelations
Chen’s attorney also contends she was not the “actual killer,” arguing that McKinsey had already been fatally wounded when she fired her weapon.
Multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunshots at the Dublin Sports Grounds. A Dublin Police Services sergeant arrived to find McKinsey on his back with several gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the location.
Witnesses directed officers toward a black Honda Civic leaving the parking area. Police stopped the vehicle nearby in a high-risk traffic maneuver, according to the filings.
Chen was behind the wheel and allegedly possessed a firearm when officers detained her. Zhang was seated in the passenger seat.
Three witnesses identified Chen and Zhang as the shooters. Investigators also say surveillance footage shows the pair firing at McKinsey “in concert.”
Jonathan McKinsey, an engineering executive for The New York Times Games division, was fatally shot in Dublin, California. Authorities arrested his parents-in-law on suspicion of murder shortly afterward. (Jon McKinsey/Facebook)
Police said the shooting unfolded in the parking lot of a crowded park, where several children were nearby, and described the defendants’ actions as showing a “blatant disregard for public safety.”
A later search of the Honda turned up a second gun, which Zhang allegedly said he had used during the shooting.
The criminal complaint accuses the defendants of acting with “great violence” and displaying a “high degree of cruelty, viciousness, or callousness.” Prosecutors further allege that both defendants were armed or used a weapon in the killing.
The shooting occurred during a bitter divorce and child-custody dispute between McKinsey and Candice Jang, the daughter of Chen and Zhang.
McKinsey alleged that Chen directed anti-LGBTQ slurs at him and one of his children. He also claimed Zhang struck him in the chest while he was recovering from double-mastectomy surgery, The Mercury News reported. Jang made separate allegations accusing McKinsey of domestic violence and child abuse, claims he denied.
Court records reviewed by News Outlet indicate that McKinsey and Jang were involved in several legal disputes before his death, including competing domestic-violence restraining-order cases, a custody battle and divorce proceedings.
Jang requested a domestic-violence restraining order against McKinsey in October 2025. McKinsey filed his own request two months later, and the competing cases were scheduled for a three-day hearing in December.
