A transgender executive from the New York Times was reportedly shot in Northern California, allegedly by her mother-in-law. The motive, as cited in court documents, seems to stem from the elder blaming the executive for her grandson’s desire to wear his sister’s dresses, according to a report.
The victim, Jonathan McKinsey, who served as the head of engineering for games player experience at the paper, was said to have been killed by his in-laws, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, in the parking lot of a park in Dublin.
Zhang and Chen supposedly took turns firing at McKinsey, as the report details.
Having transitioned from female to male back in 2010, McKinsey married Candice Jang in 2011. However, reports had indicated that the couple was estranged, and they were preparing for court regarding child custody issues when the shooting occurred.
There was a restraining order McKinsey filed against Jang, stating that Chen had visited to care for their children in 2023.
It was during this visit that Chen noticed her grandson expressing a wish to wear his sister Alexis’ dresses—something McKinsey described as a phase. Chen allegedly reacted harshly, insulting the boy with derogatory terms and even physically striking him when he insisted on wearing the dresses.
As per the report, when McKinsey pleaded with Chen to stop, Chen lashed out at McKinsey too, using similar insults.
McKinsey noted that Chen’s animosity stemmed from her belief that he was responsible for their grandson’s behavior, and reportedly told McKinsey to leave her home, despite it being owned by McKinsey and Jang.
Efforts to have Jang bring in external help to supervise Chen’s interactions with their children were reportedly ignored.
Additionally, McKinsey accused Jang of pushing him towards self-harm during their relationship, expressing feelings of being unwanted due to his transgender status.
In a previous restraining order from last year, Jang accused McKinsey of making threats against her and her parents.
Alameda County prosecutors have charged McKinsey with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse related to an incident involving their six-year-old son.
Jang also recounted a violent incident from 2018 where McKinsey allegedly harmed her, a charge he pleaded not guilty to, while he was released from jail on the condition of attending parenting classes.
Shortly after the shooting took place, Zhang and Chen were apprehended nearby and taken into custody on suspicion of murder. Their charges include first-degree murder and child endangerment, among others, with no possibility of bail reported.
In an August custody filing, Jang shared experiences of needing to manage McKinsey’s temper during their marriage, highlighting her attempts to remain agreeable to avoid conflict.
Following claims of abuse towards her and their children, Jang filed for divorce in 2025, amid a broader history of complicated interactions between the couple.
McKinsey, at 40 years old, joined the New York Times in early 2023, taking on the role of senior engineering manager, and later became the director of engineering for games.
The New York Times has been contacted for further statements regarding the incident.
