Man facing felony charges for executing a Brea couple and setting them and their cars on fire in two So. Cal. Deserts
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 30-year-old man has been charged with special circumstances murder for executing a Brea couple and setting their bodies and their cars on fire in the desert in two different Southern California counties and then stealing nearly $250,000 worth of luxury watches, handbags, and clothing from the couple's home.
Huangting Gong, 30, of Glendale, has been charged 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. He has also been charged with two felony special circumstances enhancements for committing multiple murders, one felony special circumstances enhancement for committing murder during the commission of kidnapping, and two felony enhancements for discharging a firearm causing death.
Gong is eligible for a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
In special circumstances murder cases, the Orange County District Attorney's Office convenes a special circumstances committee after the preliminary hearing is held to determine whether to pursue the death penalty. This process includes a presentation of the case by the prosecutor as well as from the defense. The elected District Attorney makes the ultimate decision whether to pursue death after going through that process. If the decision is not to pursue death, then the maximum sentence is life without the possibility of parole.
Gong is scheduled to be arraigned on December 2, 2024, at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana in Department C5.
On October 15, 2024, a family member of 37-year-old Kuanlun Wang contacted the Brea Police Department after not hearing from him for several days, which was very unusual. The family member told police that Wang had disclosed that he was owed $80,000 by Huangting Gong, a business associate.
After not hearing from Wang, his family member contacted Gong on October 12, 2024, who told her Wang and Wang's wife, 37-year-old Jing Li, never showed up for a trip to New York City to meet with another business associate who could give Wang the $80,000 Gong owed him. Wang's family were not aware of any trip planned to New York.
The family member contacted Gong again after seeing a man on Wang's patio on surveillance video on October 14, 2024, but Gong denied that it was him and then her access to the video surveillance system was cut off.
A Brea Police Department investigation led to Gong's arrest at the Los Angeles International Airport on November 5, when he returned from a trip to Seattle.
On October 12, 2024, Gong is accused of meeting Wang in the desert, shooting him in the head, and then putting Wang's body in Wang's Tesla and then driving back to Wang's Brea home. Gong is then accused of attacking Li with a hammer and hitting her while forcing her to give him her phone's password.
Gong is accused of putting Li inside of her own Tesla, taking her to a desert area in San Bernardino where he shot her and then burned her body. Gong is accused of then returning to retrieve Wang's body from his Brea home and disposing of his body in a desert area in Riverside County and burning the body. Gong is also accused of taking the couple's two Teslas to different desert areas and setting them on fire.
After disposing of the bodies and the two Teslas, Gong is accused of returning to their Brea home on October 14, 2024, and stealing nearly $250,000 worth of watches, shoes, handbags and clothing.
"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."
Senior Deputy District Attorney Seton Hunt of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
