In-Laws Arrested After Son-in-Law Killed at California Park

By Jordan Reyes. Oct 2, 2026

A Family Relationship Is at the Center of the Case

A California couple in their 70s was arrested after their son-in-law was killed in the parking lot of a public sports complex, placing a family relationship at the center of a homicide investigation. Jonathan McKinsey, 40, was found with multiple gunshot wounds Saturday afternoon in Dublin, east of San Francisco.

Police arrested Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 76, near the scene on suspicion of murder and other offenses, according to the Associated Press. McKinsey was their son-in-law and the husband of their daughter, Candice Jang.

The shooting unfolded in a public setting. A Dublin police sergeant was driving near the sports grounds when he saw McKinsey on the ground as witnesses began calling 911 and pointing officers toward the couple, police said. McKinsey died at the scene.

Court Records Show a Bitter Custody Dispute

The arrests came against the backdrop of a difficult family court dispute. AP reporting based on court records says McKinsey and Jang had been involved in a contentious custody case concerning their three children. The filings included competing allegations of abuse.

McKinsey had denied allegations against him and had pursued his own protection request, according to the records summarized by AP. The family court history provides context for the relationship among the people involved, but authorities had not publicly established a final motive for the killing in the reporting reviewed for this article.

McKinsey worked as an engineering leader connected to The New York Times’ games operation. His professional role gave the case broader public attention, but police focused their initial announcement on the shooting, the rapid arrests and the evidence being gathered.

The Case Moves to Court

Zhang and Chen were expected to make court appearances after their arrests. It was not immediately clear from the initial reports whether either had retained an attorney. Both are entitled to the presumption of innocence as the case proceeds.

The investigation remains focused on what happened in the sports complex parking lot and what evidence can establish the circumstances leading to McKinsey’s death. Police have not needed a prolonged search for suspects: the two people arrested were still near the scene when officers arrived.

For McKinsey’s family, the criminal case arrives on top of an already difficult custody dispute involving three young children. The court process will determine the legal responsibility for the killing, while investigators continue examining the events that preceded it.

References: Associated Press | Global News