A New York Times tech executive, Jonathan McKinsey, faced significant turmoil in his relationship, which led to two suicide attempts, as revealed by court documents.
His fiancé, Candice Jang, told him prior to a 2010 attempt that “no one would want to be with someone f–ked up and transgender” like him, according to the papers.
Additionally, McKinsey had previously attempted suicide in 2009, with details around that incident remaining unclear.
Despite their struggles, McKinsey and Jang married in 2011 in Harris County, Texas. Notably, both suicide attempts occurred while McKinsey was transitioning from female to male; he previously went by the name Dawn Finney.
In a December 2009 email to Jang, McKinsey described a previous suicide attempt and expressed his frustrations with his parents, stating he had ended up in a mental hospital afterward. He wrote somewhat angrily about them: “Who were the f–king a–hole parents that wouldn’t call their daughter who just wanted space who also by the way attempted suicide and ended up in a mental hospital just two months before? Right. Mom and Dad.”
By February 2010, he claimed that Jang escalated their arguments, often fighting intensely at night and preventing him from resting. During one of these conflicts, he reported that Jang suggested he should end his life since “no one would want to be with someone as ‘f–ked up and transgender’” as him.
He mentioned that this comment triggered his suicide attempt, but he called 911 just before losing consciousness and managed to survive.
Both Jang and McKinsey have accused each other of abusive behavior throughout their troubled relationship, particularly during disputes regarding their custody battles. McKinsey faced legal trouble after Jang reported an incident where he allegedly struck their six-year-old son. He has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse by local authorities and has pleaded not guilty, being released with a condition to attend parenting classes.
Meanwhile, amid ongoing custody disputes over their three children, McKinsey’s in-laws, both 77 years old, have been accused of ambushing him in a park and fatally shooting him. Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, Jang’s parents, now face murder charges.
McKinsey had a confrontational past with Jang’s parents, which included a moment where she referred to him in derogatory terms during an argument about their child’s clothing choices.
A family member of McKinsey speculated that Jang’s parents might have orchestrated the attack to facilitate her sole custody of the children.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
