Man accused of executing, burning couple he reportedly owed $80K: California authorities
GLENDALE, Cali. (KTLA) — A 30-year-old man from Glendale, California, has been accused of executing and later burning the bodies of an Orange County couple to whom he allegedly owed thousands of dollars, prosecutors say.
Huangting Gong was charged earlier this week with two felony counts of murder, one felony count of kidnapping, two felony counts of arson of property, and two felony counts of first-degree burglary in connection with the slayings. If convicted, Gong could face a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said.
According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, the Brea Police Department was contacted on Oct. 15 by a person who claimed to have not heard from their family member, 37-year-old Kuanlun Wang, in several days, which was unusual. During that initial contact, the family member told authorities that Wang claimed Gong, a business associate, owed him $80,000.
That family member said they contacted Gong three days prior, on Oct. 12. Gong allegedly said Wang and his wife, 37-year-old Jing Li, failed to show up to a meeting in New York City in which another business associate was supposed to pay Wang the money, according to authorities.
The family member said they were unaware that such a meeting was scheduled to take place.
She told authorities she then saw Gong on Wang's patio in a surveillance video on Oct. 14, and contacted Gong again. Gong told her that it wasn't him.
Her access to that video surveillance footage was then mysteriously cut off, prosecutors said.
On Nov. 5, Gong was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after an investigation by Brea police.
Now, prosecutors are alleging that Gong brutally slayed the Brea couple.
They say that on Oct. 12, Gong met Wang somewhere in the desert and executed him by shooting him in the head. Gong then put Wang's body inside his own Tesla and drove it back to Wang's Brea home, prosecutors said.
At the home, authorities alleged Gong attacked Li with a hammer and hit her repeatedly until she gave him the password to her phone. He then took her inside of her own Tesla, where the pair drove to the San Bernardino desert.
In that desert, Gong allegedly shot and killed Li, and burned her body.
After that killing, Gong returned to Brea to retrieve Wang's body, prosecutors say. He took the body to a Riverside County desert, where he burned it.
Gong also burned the two Teslas in two separate desert areas, according to prosecutors.
He then returned to the couple's Brea home one more time on Oct. 14, when he allegedly stole $250,000 worth of watches, shoes, handbags, and clothing, prosecutors say.
“Depravity does not adequately describe the callousness involved to kill a human being and then drive around in the victim’s own car with his body inside in order to carry out the rest of his plan,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “No one deserves the fate of being executed and then set on fire in the middle of the desert in a desperate attempt by a killer to cover up his crimes. We are committed to pursuing justice for the victims and their loved ones.”
In addition to the charges, Gong faces special circumstances enhancements for the brutality of the alleged killings. Those enhancements could mean that Gong could face the death penalty if convicted. If the DA chooses not to pursue that route, Gong could face life in prison without parole.
Gong's arraignment hearing is scheduled for Dec. 2 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.