Google software engineer from China charged with murder after allegedly beating wife to death in US home, shedding light on domestic violence
- Suspect, victim both elite students who attended top mainland university
- Police say alleged attack was ‘extremely cruel, malicious, cold-hearted’
A 27-year-old Google engineer from China has been charged with murder after allegedly beating his wife to death in the United States in a case that has shocked mainland social media.
The suspect, Chen Liren, is alleged to have repeatedly punched his wife Yu Xuanyi in the head at their home in Santa Clara, a city in the centre of Silicon Valley where Google headquarters are located.
On January 16, the police found Yu, 27, dead on the floor in the bedroom of the home with “severe blunt force injuries to her head”, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney.
Chen was found standing near her staring “blankly”, with an “extremely swollen and purple” right hand, scratches on his arm, and covered in blood splatters.
The police found them after responding to a welfare check request made by Chen’s friend, who said Chen was refusing to answer his phone or the door.
Chen has been charged with the murder of Yu, but by the time of writing had not been arraigned due to his hospitalisation.
