New York Times executive killing
True crime · Heat 1.2 / 10 · 2 shows · 13m airtime
Jonathan McKenzie, 40, a New York Times director of engineering, was found shot dead on September 26 in the parking lot of Dublin Sports Grounds in Northern California. Police arrested his in-laws, Shoyoung Zhang and Shi Li Chen, who face first-degree murder, conspiracy, firearm and child-endangerment charges. McKenzie had been booked on $50,000 bond and negotiated a diversion of 12 parenting classes, with an abuse case set for October 2. Defense attorney Curtis Briggs says McKenzie threatened Chen's life three times, once with a hitman, and that the couple bought two handguns in March for self-defense. The alleged motive remains a dispute over McKenzie encouraging his son to wear dresses.
How 2 podcasts covered it
- The Megyn Kelly Show, 2026-09-30 (16:05 to 19:00)
Reports the arrest of the in-laws
Reports the shooting of New York Times executive Jonathan McKenzie in a Dublin, California parking lot and the arrest of his 77-year-old in-laws, laying out the custody and divorce battle behind it - the abuse filings, the child-abuse charges, and the gender-identity allegations.
New angle: McKenzie's in-laws, Shoyoung Zhang and Shi Li Chen, were arrested and face first-degree murder, conspiracy, firearm and child-endangerment charges. - Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, 2026-09-30 (2:46 to 3:46)
Recaps the shooting and the in-laws' arrest
Recaps the Dublin parking-lot shooting and the arrest of McKenzie's in-laws, adding the ages of the accused and the Times' no-comment. It stays inside the charges and custody-dispute facts already on the record. - Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, 2026-10-03 (0:43 to 3:23)
Adds witness accounts of the parking-lot shooting
Opens with witness accounts of the Dublin parking-lot shooting: two masked elderly people taking turns firing into McKenzie's face and chest, then walking away calmly. Adds the alleged motive - a dispute over McKenzie encouraging his grandson to wear dresses - sourced to KGO, KTVU and KRON. - Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, 2026-10-03 (3:23 to 4:13)
Recaps the alleged motive and the shooting
Recaps the alleged motive and the shooting itself - the two 77-year-old in-laws taking turns firing in the sports complex parking lot, the grandson's dress as the final straw. It stays inside the motive already on the record and then pivots to the Adelson and Tiffany cases. - Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, 2026-10-03 (7:29 to 9:35)
Fills in the victim's biography and abuse case
Fills in the victim's biography - Georgia Tech, NASA, a Berkeley PhD, the Times games job - and the shooters' physical descriptions, then walks through the 2023 child-abuse case: the hand-shaped bruise, the two-year-old left alone in a crib, the $50,000 bond and the parenting-class diversion.
New angle: McKenzie was booked on $50,000 bond and negotiated a diversion of 12 parenting classes; the abuse case was set for October 2. - Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, 2026-10-03 (9:39 to 10:26)
Speculates on the in-laws' motive
A psychologist speculates the elderly in-laws were shocked by their grandson wearing a dress and felt they were losing control, and notes their deep involvement in their daughter's conflict with the victim. Analysis and reaction, staying inside the motive already on the record. - Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, 2026-10-24 (0:00 to 2:33)
Recaps the shooting and relays the defense
Hourly crime alert recaps the Dublin park shooting and the murder charges, then goes to the defense: attorney Curtis Briggs says Chen feared for her life, that McKenzie threatened her three times, and that the two handguns in the car were bought in March for self-defense. Also notes Zhang's alleged admission and both not-guilty pleas.
New angle: Defense attorney Curtis Briggs says McKenzie threatened Chen's life three times, once with a hitman, and that the couple bought the two handguns in March for self-defense.