Shu Zhang, a 60-year-old woman from China, was tragically shot and killed on April 13, 2016, in West Covina, California. Shu Zhang and her husband, Aiping Diao, had traveled from their home in Sichuan, China, to visit their daughter and her family. On the night of the incident, their daughter was at work, leaving Zhang and Diao at home with their son-in-law, Caminero Wang, and their three grandchildren.
Neighbors reported hearing gunshots and children screaming, prompting the police to arrive at the scene around 8:35 p.m. Upon arrival, officers found Zhang and Diao dead from gunshot wounds inside the condominium. The children, aged 3, 6, and 8, were found hiding in a bathroom, unharmed.
Caminero Wang, the son-in-law, was arrested at the scene and later charged with two counts of murder. The charges included a special circumstance allegation of using a handgun and committing multiple murders. Wang had a history of legal issues, including a 2013 arrest for domestic violence, during which police confiscated 23 guns from his home. Despite pleading no contest to possessing an assault weapon and receiving probation, Wang's violent tendencies resurfaced in the tragic events of April 2016.
The case proceeded to trial, where Wang was found guilty of first-degree murder for the killings of Shu Zhang and Aiping Diao. The jury also upheld the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders. In January 2019, Wang was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The court's decision brought some measure of justice for the victims' family, though the emotional scars from the loss of their loved ones remain.
