Calif. Man Accused of Killing Husband and Wife, Burning Their Bodies in the Desert and Stealing $250,000

A California man has been charged with killing a husband and wife, then setting their bodies on fire in the desert.

On Tuesday, Nov. 12, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced that 30-year-old Huangting Gong of Glendale was charged with special circumstances murder over the deaths of Kuanlun Wang, 37, and his wife Jing Li Wang, 37. 

Gong has also been charged with a felony count of kidnapping, two felony counts of arson of property and two felony counts of first-degree burglary. If convicted, he is eligible “for a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole” or the “death penalty,” the District Attorney’s Office added.

Kuanlun was first reported missing by a family member on Oct. 15 who told the Brea Police Department they hadn’t heard from him for several days, which was “very unusual,” according to the District Attorney’s statement.

The family member added that Kuanlun had also told them he was owed $80,000 by Gong from a business deal, per the release, and that Gong had told them on Oct. 12 that the husband and wife were supposed to “meet with another business associate” in New York City to receive the outstanding $80,000, but didn’t show up.

Two days later on Oct. 14, the family member said they attempted to contact Gong again “after seeing a man on Kuanlun’s patio on surveillance video,” however, he “denied that it was him.” After that, their “access to the video surveillance system was cut off,” per the statement.

According to the District Attorney’s office, Gong allegedly met Kuanlun in the desert on Oct. 12, where he shot him in the head before stuffing his body into his Tesla car and driving back to the family home in Brea. He is also accused of “attacking” and “hitting” Jang Li “with a hammer” while “forcing her to give him her phone’s password.”

Gong then allegedly put Jang Li in her own Tesla car and drove her to a desert area in San Bernardino where he “shot her and then burned her body.” He allegedly did the same thing with Kuanlun’s body by burning it and disposing of it in a desert area in Riverside County.

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The District Attorney’s office said that after Gong “disposed” of the two bodies and Teslas he returned to the Wang’s home on Oct. 14 and stole “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,” he added.

Gong’s arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 2.