Candice Jang’s parents are accused of shooting her estranged husband to death in a California parking lot. She is not charged with any crime. But the bitter custody war she and Jonathan McKinsey waged against each other is now central to understanding why he is dead.
The 40-year-old New York Times Games executive was gunned down Saturday afternoon at Dublin Sports Grounds, just days before he and Jang were scheduled to appear in court for a custody hearing. Her parents, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, have been charged with murder.
Jang has not been accused of involvement in the shooting. But the court records that have surfaced in its aftermath paint a portrait of a marriage that collapsed into years of dueling abuse allegations, restraining orders, and a fight over three young children.
Here’s what we know about Candice Jang and her role in this unfolding tragedy.
The Marriage and the Children
Candice Jang married Jonathan McKinsey around 2010 or 2011. McKinsey, who was transgender, transitioned from female to male in 2010, a year before the marriage.
The couple had three children together, ages 3, 5, and 7 at the time of McKinsey’s death. By late 2025, Jang and McKinsey were living separately, their marriage having deteriorated into a legal war that played out across Alameda County courtrooms.
The Allegations Jang Made Against McKinsey
In October 2025, Jang filed for a temporary restraining order against McKinsey, citing domestic violence.
According to a police report, Jang told officers that McKinsey had struck their 6-year-old son “in the face with an open hand.” The incident allegedly occurred during an argument over Legos, leaving what Jang described as a “very large bruise the shape of a handprint” on the child’s face.
She also told investigators about a 2018 incident in which McKinsey allegedly grabbed her wrist hard enough to leave bruises.
During the police response to her report, officers found their 2-year-old child alone in an upstairs bedroom. McKinsey was not home at the time, reportedly having left the child unattended for more than an hour while shopping.
McKinsey was subsequently charged with two misdemeanors: cruelty to a child by endangering health and corporal injury to a child. He pleaded not guilty and was released on $50,000 bail, ordered to complete parenting classes.
In later court filings, Jang’s attorney described McKinsey as “simply prone to domestic violence and child abuse.”
The Allegations McKinsey Made Against Jang
McKinsey did not accept Jang’s version of events. In December 2025, he filed his own restraining order against her, alleging years of abuse dating back more than 15 years.
Among his claims: that Jang beat him with a frying pan in 2013, that she tried to pull medical tubes from his body during his transition, and that her father punched him in the chest while he was recovering from a double mastectomy.
He also alleged that Jang’s mother, Shili Chen, directed anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at him and at one of their children. According to his petition, Chen called the child and then McKinsey “a disgusting queer” and “a pervert.”
McKinsey filed for divorce the same month.
The Threats and the Book
In an August 2026 custody filing, Jang wrote that McKinsey had “previously threatened to kill me and my parents.”
She also described a disturbing incident involving a book McKinsey allegedly gave their children as a birthday present. According to Jang, the book was about a young girl mourning the death of her mother. She called the choice “deeply disturbing and frightening” given his prior threats.
“During our marriage, the children and I learned to avoid provoking Jonathan lest he became angry,” Jang wrote in the filing. “In my experience, appearing agreeable or happy around him was sometimes a means of avoiding his anger.”
McKinsey’s legal team disputed her characterization of events. The allegations from both sides were never adjudicated.
Where She Stands Now
Candice Jang has not been charged with any crime in connection with McKinsey’s death. Her parents remain in Santa Rita Jail, held without bail, awaiting arraignment.
Phone numbers listed for Jang were disconnected when reporters attempted to reach her in the days after the shooting.
Her attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The three children, ages 3, 5, and 7, are now at the center of a custody battle that has lost one of its parties. Their father is dead. Their mother’s parents are accused of killing him. And the court hearing that was supposed to determine their future, scheduled for Friday, will never happen.
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