A 40-year-old transgender New York Times executive, Jonathan McKinsey, reportedly lost his life following an incident involving his elderly in-laws during a supervised visit with his children in California.
According to prosecutors, McKinsey was meeting his children at the Dublin Sports Grounds in Dublin, California, on September 26 when the incident occurred in the parking lot.
His father-in-law, Shouyong Zhang, and mother-in-law, Shili Chen, both 77, were subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree homicide.
During a court hearing on Monday, October 19, prosecutors revealed that McKinsey had been at the location for a supervised visit with his children. The couple pleaded not guilty to the charges.
However, their lawyer, Curtis Briggs, claimed that McKinsey had previously threatened to hire someone to harm his mother-in-law.
The lawyer argued that the couple had purchased firearms in March 2026 out of fear for their safety and denied that they had planned the incident.
Court documents also revealed that McKinsey and his wife, Candice Jang, had been involved in a custody dispute following their separation.
Jang, who filed for divorce in 2025, had previously accused McKinsey of threatening behaviour. Both parties had also sought restraining orders against each other.