BREA, CA – A chilling series of events has rocked the quiet community of Brea, California, as a local man stands accused of a gruesome crime spree involving the murder of a young couple, arson, and burglary. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has charged 30-year-old Gong with special circumstances murder, among other offenses.
Residents of the Country Roads Condominiums, where the victims lived, were initially unaware of the tragedy. Neighbor Duke Noble recalled seeing the couple often walking their dogs and assumed their recent absence was due to a vacation. However, the arrival of homicide investigators shattered this illusion, leaving neighbors in shock.
Court documents reveal that Gong, a business associate of the male victim, Kwan Lin Wang, had been living in Glendale. Despite inquiries, neighbors in Glendale did not recognize Gong or have any information about him. The charges against him extend beyond murder to include kidnapping, arson, and burglary.
Authorities allege that Gong’s crime spree began in mid-October. Two days after the murders, he reportedly returned to Brea and made off with $250,000 worth of jewelry, watches, clothing, shoes, and handbags from the couple’s home. The motive, according to a family member, was a substantial debt—Gong allegedly owed Wang $80,000.
Prosecutors outline a harrowing narrative: Wang left his home in Brea to meet Gong in Riverside County’s desert, where Gong is accused of shooting him and transporting his body back to Brea in Wang’s Tesla. The violence didn’t end there; Gong allegedly kidnapped Wang’s wife, drove her to a desert in San Bernardino County, and killed her before setting her body ablaze.
The crime scene extended further as Gong reportedly torched the Tesla at a different location. Before committing the burglary, he is said to have returned to Riverside County to dispose of Wang’s body and burn his car.
Gong’s arrest came after a flight landed at Los Angeles International Airport last week, marking the end of an intense manhunt. The community remains in disbelief, grappling with the horror of the events that unfolded in their midst.