Jonathan McKinsey, a 40-year-old technology executive who led engineering for The New York Times Games, was fatally shot at the Dublin Sports Grounds in Dublin, California, on September 26, 2026. Police arrested his in-laws, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, in connection with the killing.
McKinsey’s death occurred while he was involved in a divorce and child-custody dispute with his wife, Candice Jang, the daughter of Zhang and Chen. The couple had three young children. Court records show that both McKinsey and Jang had made allegations against each other during their legal dispute, while McKinsey was also facing misdemeanor child-abuse charges.
Police have not publicly established a motive for the killing. The family-court dispute is part of the known context, but the records do not by themselves establish why McKinsey was killed. Zhang and Chen were being held at Santa Rita Jail and were scheduled for an arraignment on Wednesday.
What Happened to Jonathan McKinsey?
Jonathan McKinsey was found fatally wounded in the parking lot of the Dublin Sports Grounds shortly after 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 26.
A Dublin police sergeant was driving near the sports complex when he saw McKinsey lying on the ground. At about the same time, police dispatchers received multiple 911 calls from witnesses reporting the shooting.
Officers identified McKinsey as the victim and pronounced him dead at the scene. Police said witnesses helped identify the people believed to be responsible, allowing officers to locate and arrest two suspects nearby within minutes.
The suspects were identified as Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, a married couple and McKinsey’s parents-in-law. Both were booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Police have said there are no outstanding suspects and no continuing threat to the public. The Dublin Sports Grounds was temporarily closed during the investigation and later reopened.
The shooting took place in a public sports complex during the afternoon. Authorities have not released a complete account of what happened immediately before the shooting, and the investigation remains active.
Who Was Jonathan McKinsey?
Jonathan McKinsey was a software engineer and technology executive who worked for The New York Times Games division. He joined The Times in January 2023 and was serving as a director of engineering focused on Games and player experiences.
His technology career extended well beyond The New York Times. His professional profile shows engineering roles at companies including Oracle, Coursera, UKG and Splunk. Other reporting also identifies earlier work connected to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
McKinsey studied computer science at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He later received a master’s degree in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2015.
His professional interests also included computer-science education. According to his professional profile, he taught and managed courses part-time at Georgia Tech and Berkeley.
At The New York Times, McKinsey worked on the technology behind its Games products. The company confirmed his employment after his death but declined to comment on his family and legal circumstances.
McKinsey also wrote publicly about leadership, parenting and technology. His professional writing included reflections on computer-science education and the experiences of Asian Americans following the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings.
Jonathan McKinsey’s Life at a Glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Jonathan McKinsey |
| Age | 40 |
| Residence | Dublin, California |
| Profession | Software engineer and technology executive |
| Employer at death | The New York Times |
| Role | Director of Engineering, NYT Games |
| Joined The New York Times | January 2023 |
| Bachelor’s degree | Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Master’s degree | University of California, Berkeley |
| Wife | Candice Jang |
| Children | Three |
| Date of death | September 26, 2026 |
| Location of death | Dublin Sports Grounds, California |
| Suspects | Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen |
| Case status | Investigation ongoing |
Who Was Jonathan McKinsey’s Wife, Candice Jang?
Jonathan McKinsey was married to Candice Jang, the daughter of Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen. McKinsey and Jang had three children and were in the process of divorcing when he died.
Public records and court reporting place their marriage around 2011 or 2012. The couple’s relationship later became the subject of domestic-violence and child-custody proceedings.
Jang filed for a temporary domestic-violence protection order against McKinsey in 2025. Her court filings included allegations concerning McKinsey’s treatment of her and their children.
McKinsey later filed his own protection-order request against Jang. He denied the allegations against him and made counter-allegations concerning Jang and her mother, Shili Chen.
McKinsey filed for divorce in December 2025. By 2026, the couple were involved in a continuing custody dispute, and a private child-custody evaluator had been approved by the court. A divorce-related hearing was scheduled shortly after McKinsey’s death.
Because the allegations came from competing court filings, they should not be treated as findings that either spouse was legally responsible for the alleged conduct.
How Many Children Did Jonathan McKinsey Have?
Jonathan McKinsey and Candice Jang had three young children.
The children became part of the couple’s legal dispute during the divorce and custody proceedings. Court records show that McKinsey had sought additional parenting time and had been subject to restrictions on his contact with the children.
The children’s identities and personal details are not necessary to understand the case. They were minors involved in an active custody proceeding, so information about their schools, locations and daily lives should remain private.
The custody dispute is relevant to the murder investigation because it formed part of the legal conflict between McKinsey and Jang before his death. It does not, by itself, establish a motive for the killing.
Who Are Jonathan McKinsey’s In-Laws Accused in His Killing?
Jonathan McKinsey’s in-laws are Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, a married couple from Dublin, California.
Police identified Zhang and Chen as the parents of McKinsey’s wife, Candice Jang. Both were arrested shortly after the shooting and booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Authorities have reported that the couple were being held without bail while awaiting court proceedings. Their scheduled arraignment was set for Wednesday at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin.
Booking records and local reporting list multiple allegations connected to the case, including murder and other offenses. The exact charges and procedural status can change as prosecutors review the evidence and the case moves through court.
Neither suspect should be described as guilty unless and until a court establishes guilt. The charges are allegations, and both defendants are entitled to the presumption of innocence.
What Led to the Jonathan McKinsey Family Dispute?
The family dispute developed over several years and involved allegations concerning domestic violence, child safety and custody.
In 2023, Jang reported McKinsey to police over allegations involving one of their children. In 2025, McKinsey faced misdemeanor charges related to child endangerment and corporal injury to a child. He pleaded not guilty.
Jang later obtained a domestic-violence protection order against him. McKinsey disputed the allegations and subsequently sought a protection order against Jang.
The legal filings presented different accounts of the family’s relationship. Jang made allegations concerning McKinsey’s conduct toward her and the children. McKinsey denied those allegations and accused Jang of abusive behavior. His filing also made allegations involving Shili Chen.
The records therefore establish a contentious legal dispute, but they do not provide a judicial determination that all of the allegations made by either side were true.
By 2026, the dispute included divorce proceedings, child-custody litigation and the appointment of a private custody evaluator. McKinsey was also seeking additional visitation with his children.
What Did the Court Records Say About Jonathan McKinsey and Candice Jang?
Court records show that both McKinsey and Jang sought legal protection during the breakdown of their marriage.
Jang’s filings described allegations of domestic violence and concerns about the children’s safety. One police report cited in court coverage said she alleged that McKinsey struck their 6-year-old child during a dispute.
McKinsey later filed a protection-order request against Jang. His filing disputed her account and included allegations of physical and verbal abuse involving Jang and her mother.
McKinsey also identified himself as transgender in his court filing and alleged that he experienced anti-LGBTQ+ verbal abuse from members of Jang’s family. Reports based on the filing say he accused Shili Chen of using derogatory language toward him and one of the children.
These claims are significant because they show the extent of the family conflict before McKinsey’s death. They remain allegations contained in court documents, rather than findings that establish criminal conduct by either party.
McKinsey was also facing misdemeanor child-abuse charges at the time of his death. He had pleaded not guilty and was out on bail. Reports said he was seeking entry into a mental-health diversion program while the criminal case continued.
Why Did Jonathan McKinsey’s In-Laws Allegedly Kill Him?
A motive has not been officially established.
The killing occurred while McKinsey was involved in a divorce and child-custody dispute with Candice Jang, whose parents were the two people arrested in the case. That timing has made the family dispute an important part of the investigation’s context.
The court records also show significant conflict among McKinsey, Jang and Jang’s parents. McKinsey and Jang had filed competing protection-order requests, and McKinsey was seeking additional custody and visitation rights.
However, those facts do not prove that the custody dispute caused the killing. Dublin police have said the circumstances remain under investigation and have not publicly announced a definitive motive.
The distinction is important: the family dispute is documented; the motive for the homicide remains unresolved.
What Is Known About the Jonathan McKinsey Murder Investigation?
The investigation remains active as of September 29, 2026.
Police have identified two suspects, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, and said there are no additional outstanding suspects. Both were being held at Santa Rita Jail.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office was reviewing the investigation. An arraignment for the two defendants was scheduled for Wednesday morning at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed all of the evidence collected at the scene. They also have not released a complete explanation of what happened immediately before the shooting or established a final motive.
The public response was important to the early investigation. Witnesses called 911 and helped police identify the people believed to be involved, allowing officers to locate the suspects shortly after the shooting. Dublin police specifically credited witnesses and community members for helping with the arrests.
Latest Case Status
| Case detail | Latest information |
|---|---|
| Victim | Jonathan McKinsey |
| Age | 40 |
| Date | September 26, 2026 |
| Location | Dublin Sports Grounds, Dublin, California |
| Suspects | Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen |
| Relationship to victim | Parents-in-law |
| Custody status | Held at Santa Rita Jail |
| Bail | Reported as no bail |
| Motive | Not officially established |
| Additional suspects | Police say none are outstanding |
| Public safety threat | Police say there is no ongoing threat |
| Next major proceeding | Arraignment scheduled for Wednesday |
| Investigation | Ongoing |
Why Was Jonathan McKinsey’s Death Connected to The New York Times?
Jonathan McKinsey worked for The New York Times as a technology executive in its Games division.
He joined the company in January 2023 and later became director of engineering for Games and player experiences. His work was connected to the technology supporting the newspaper’s digital puzzle products.
Before joining The Times, McKinsey had built a technology career across several companies. His reported employers included Oracle, Coursera, UKG and Splunk, while other biographical reporting identifies earlier work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
His education also centered on computer science. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Georgia Tech and a master’s degree from UC Berkeley in 2015. He also had an interest in computer-science education and taught courses at both institutions.
The New York Times confirmed McKinsey’s employment after his death. His professional career provides important context for understanding who he was beyond the circumstances of the homicide.
