Man Convicted of Killing Wife, Male Companion at Restaurant in Monterey Park

A Monterey Park man was convicted Tuesday of fatally shooting his wife and her male companion at an Asian restaurant.

Jurors found Yixin Jing, now 41, guilty of two counts of first-degree murder for the April 5, 2021, killings of his wife, Ling Ling Wang, 36, and Zhaiming Li, 37, at the Music BBQ Bar and restaurant in the 500 block of West Garvey Avenue in Monterey Park.

The panel also found gun use allegations true, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Jing is due back in an Alhambra courtroom for sentencing Jan. 9.

Deputy District Attorney Melanie Buccat told jurors in her final argument that Jing and his wife were "no longer together" and had discussed months earlier with their two daughters — ages 9 and 11 at the time — whether they wanted to live with their mother or father, although they all still lived in the same household at the time of the crime.

The prosecutor said Jing used a pistol that had already been loaded, went directly to the victims at the restaurant and "executed them on the spot," shooting his wife five times and Li eight times.

One of Jing's attorneys countered that the case was "about a broken man," saying that his "love for his family drove him to do the unthinkable" and that it was "clear" that Jing "would have never hurt anyone had his wife not had an extra-marital affair."

The defense lawyer urged jurors to find Jing guilty of the lesser count of voluntary manslaughter, saying that "there are way too many holes in this case for Mr. Jing to be branded a murderer."

Jing was arrested a day later by a task force of investigators at the United States-Mexico border, authorities said.

He has remained behind bars since then, according to jail records.