A Southern California man who owed a couple $80,000 is accused of executing them and setting their bodies on fire in a vicious plot to avoid paying up.
Huangting Gong, 30, of Glendale, could face the death penalty due to the special circumstances of the case, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release Tuesday.
Kuanlun Wang and Jing Li, both 37, were business associates of Gong and were owed the $80,000, according to investigators. They were found dead, with their bodies burned, in different SoCal counties last month.
According to prosecutors, Gong met Wang in the Southern California desert on Oct. 12 and fatally shot him in the head. He then allegedly put Wang’s body into the victim’s Tesla and drove it back to Wang’s home in Brea, 25 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
At the home, Gong encountered Li, attacked her with a hammer, stole her cellphone and put her into her own Tesla, authorities said. He then drove the vehicle into the desert near San Bernardino, where he allegedly executed Li and torched her body.
After that, Gong drove back to Brea, grabbed Wang’s body and drove to a desert area in Riverside County, where he also burned Wang’s body, according to investigators. He then allegedly drove the two Teslas to different areas and set them on fire too.
With the cars and bodies destroyed, Gong returned to the couple’s home on Oct. 14, where authorities said he stole almost $250,000 worth of watches, shoes, handbags and clothing.
Cops began looking into the case after one of Wang’s relatives contacted police on Oct. 15 and said they hadn’t heard from him in several days, which was unusual. The family member mentioned that Gong had owed Wang and Li $80,000.
Gong was arrested on Nov. 5 at Los Angeles International Airport after returning from a trip to Seattle.
He’s since been charged with two counts of murder, one count of kidnapping, two counts of arson of property and two counts of first-degree burglary. He’s also been charged with felony special circumstances enhancements that could make him eligible for the death penalty.
His arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 2.
Following the preliminary hearing, a special circumstances committee will convene to decide whether or not to pursue the death penalty.
“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.”
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