In-laws accused of killing New York Times games engineer in California | California

A couple in their 70s were charged with murder Wednesday after allegedly shooting their son-in-law to death in a busy California park.

Authorities say Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, took turns shooting Jonathan McKinsey, who was in the midst of an acrimonious divorce from their daughter, Candice Jang.

The burst of gunfire in broad daylight in a high-traffic area prompted several 911 calls from witnesses Saturday afternoon.

A police sergeant driving near the area found the 40-year-old New York Times game engineer shot to death on the ground of a parking lot in Dublin, a Bay Area suburb about 35 miles east of San Francisco. Zhang and Chen were arrested as they walked away from the scene.

Prosecutors said Zhang admitted to shooting McKinsey during a later interview and that a gun was found in his car that he admitted to using during the crime.

Their murder charges are bolstered by a special circumstance of expectation, an allegation that the fatal shooting was premeditated.

If convicted, the couple could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Court records show McKinsey’s killing came during a contentious divorce from Jang and a custody battle over the couple’s three young children. In motions for restraining orders filed last year, the couple accused each other of physical, emotional and psychological abuse dating back more than a decade. McKinsey, who is transgender, alleged that Jang and his parents were verbally and physically abusive over a gender transition he underwent years ago.

The killing occurred a week before the scheduled hearing in McKinsey and Jang’s divorce case. The couple had been married since July 2011.

McKinsey joined The New York Times in January 2023. He was director of engineering for the New York Times Games and based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the newspaper said. A spokesperson declined to comment further.