NYT engineer killed in Dublin by in-laws amid bitter divorce

Dublin couple accused of killing son-in-law

A Dublin couple is being held on suspicion of murder in the killing of their son-in-law at a Dublin park over the weekend. Witnesses said the couple took turns shooting the man.

DUBLIN, Calif. – A New York Times engineer allegedly killed by his elderly in-laws was in the middle of a bitter divorce and custody dispute with his wife, according to court documents.

Jonathan McKinsey, 40, was shot to death Saturday afternoon in the parking lot of the Dublin Sports Grounds. His in-laws, Shouyong Zhang, 76, and Shili Chen, 76, are accused of taking turns firing at him, ultimately killing him.

They were arrested nearby and remain held without bail on suspicion of murder and conspiracy. Both are expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Alameda County Superior Court.

As prosecutors review the case, Alameda County court records outline a trail of accusations between McKinsey, head engineer of games player experience for The New York Times, and his estranged wife. The filings provide insight into the deteriorating relationship leading up to the fatal shooting.

Dueling restraining orders

The backstory:

Records show McKinsey filed for divorce in December after 14 years of marriage. At the time of his death, the couple was living apart, and his wife had sole legal and physical custody of their three children.

The couple traded allegations of domestic violence in Alameda County court filings. McKinsey’s wife was granted a temporary restraining order in October 2025. McKinsey filed for a restraining order in December 2025, a week before his wife’s temporary order was set to expire.

In his filing, McKinsey alleged that his wife abused him physically and emotionally on a weekly basis. He also alleged that his wife was abusive toward their children.

“I truly believe that she would hurt or even kill them if she believed there was any possibility of me having the children in my custody and care,” McKinsey wrote in his declaration.

McKinsey, who was a transgender man, also detailed past conflicts with his in-laws. He accused his mother-in-law in 2023 of calling his son homophobic slurs and said that when he went to defend his child, his mother-in-law turned her disgust toward him and called him the same names.

He also alleged that his father-in-law punched him in the chest in 2010 while he was recovering from double mastectomy surgery.

He further alleged that his wife hit him with a frying pan and once forced him to eat a dead cockroach.

Wife’s accusations

The other side:

In her order of protection request, McKinsey’s wife asked the court to keep him away from her, their children, and her parents.

“Jonathan has hurt all of the above listed people physically or emotionally in the past,” she wrote. “He can be vindictive, and I worry he will retaliate against me and the people listed above.”

She alleged McKinsey abused her throughout their relationship, claiming she once suffered a fractured vertebra and that he previously struck her mother. She added that in 2021, she slept with a pair of scissors near her bed for protection.

McKinsey was charged by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office in October with two misdemeanors for allegedly striking his 6-year-old son in the face and leaving his 2-year-old child alone in a bedroom for more than an hour while he went shopping.

McKinsey denied intentionally leaving the child, claiming his wife didn’t tell him the sleeping toddler was at the home.

“I firmly believe she did this on purpose to set me up,” he wrote in court filings.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that he pleaded not guilty to those charges and was ordered to complete 12 parenting classes.

Legal next steps

What’s next:

Despite the ongoing dispute, a judge allowed McKinsey to have unsupervised visits with his children in public settings starting last month.

“I am deeply saddened by his death. This is a true tragedy, particularly for the three children now left without a father,” said Andrea Mah, an attorney representing McKinsey’s family. “I trust that our justice system will hold those responsible for Mr. McKinsey’s senseless death accountable.”

Dublin police have not released a motive for the shooting.

Legal analyst Michael Cardoza said that prosecutors will carefully weigh the evidence as to whether Zhang and Chen commited murder.

“Bottom line question — would reasonable grandparents, knowing what these grandparents knew, do what they did? If so, it’s a voluntary manslaughter,” he said.

Editor’s Note: KTVU is not naming Jonathan McKinsey’s wife because she has not been charged with a crime.