Man murdered couple, burned their body in the desert over $80K debt, DA says
Huangting Gong is accused of murdering a Brea couple and setting their bodies on fire. (Courtesy of the Orange County District Attorney's Office)
SANTA ANA, Calif. - A Glendale man has been charged with allegedly "executing" a Brea couple and burning their bodies in the desert, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.
Huangting Gong has been charged with special circumstances murder, kidnapping and more for the killings of Kuanlun Wang and Jing Li in October. He could face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole or even the death penalty if convicted.
According to the DA's office, one of Wang's relatives called police on Oct. 15 after she hadn't heard from him for several days. The relative also said that Gong, one of Wang's business associates, owed Wang $80,000. The relative said that before calling the police, she called Gong. Gong allegedly told her that he was going on a trip with Wang and Li to New York City, where he would allegedly be able to pay off the debt. But, Gong told the relative, the couple never showed up.
The police investigation told another story. According to officials, Gong met Wang in the desert on Oct. 12. That's where Gong shot Wang in the head, the charges say, before putting Wang's body in Wang's own car, then driving back to Wang’s home in Brea.
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That's where the charges claim Gong attacked Li with a hammer, before putting her in her own car, driving out to the desert near San Bernardino, shooting her and setting her body on fire. After, the DA alleges, Gong went back to the Brea home to retrieve Wang's body, before taking it to the desert in Riverside County, where he allegedly set the body on fire.
After that, officials said Gong then took the couple's two cars to different locations, and set them on fire as well.
"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."
It didn't end there though. Two days later on Oct. 14, the charges claim that Gong returned to the house in Brea to steal nearly $250,000 in watches, clothing, handbags and shoes.
Gong is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 2 in Santa Ana.
Following that hearing, the District Attorney's office will hold a special circumstances committee to determine whether to pursue the death penalty. District Attorney Spitzer will make the final decision.