The Newshound

In-laws who are accused of murdering a transgender Times executive in California claim he threatened to hire a hitman

Shili Chen and Shouyong Zhang, both 77, pleaded not guilty on Monday to the first-degree murder of their son-in-law Jonathan McKinsey, 40. Their attorney Curtis Briggs claimed they bought firearms in March 2026 out of fear, not to plan a killing. McKinsey, a transgender father-of-three, was shot on September 26 at Dublin Sports Grounds. He had arrived for a supervised visit with his children.

'My client trembles in fear when she hears Mr McKinsey's name,' Briggs said.

Family court records allege McKinsey struck his six-year-old son during the custody battle.

Witnesses reportedly described the elderly couple taking turns to fire at him.

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