Mistress of Walnut Creek man accused of killing wife, mother-in-law charged as accessory, DA says
By Carlos E. Castañeda
The mistress of a Walnut Creek man charged with murdering his wife and mother-in-law earlier this month has been charged with helping to cover up the crimes and destroy evidence, prosecutors said Tuesday.
The killings happened on Sept. 18 at a home on Kelobra Court near Ygnacio Valley Road. Authorities said 43-year-old Howard Wang slashed the throats of his wife, Linlin Guo, and his mother-in-law, Beimin Cheng, and falsely claimed he arrived home and shot at a fleeing intruder responsible for the killings.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday in a press release that 45-year-old Yan Wang, who shares the same last name as the murder suspect but is not related, was charged with being an accessory after the fact. Yan Wang was in a romantic relationship with Howard Wang at the time of the murders, had knowledge of the crimes, and attempted to help him avoid arrest, the DA’s Office said.
On the day of the murders, Yan Wang allegedly destroyed cellphones to prevent evidence from being produced, and the day after the murders, she allegedly entered the home of Howard Wang and Linlin Guo in an attempt to steal other evidence, according to the DA’s Office.
Yan Wang was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on felony accessory after the fact and first-degree burglary, along with misdemeanor destroying of evidence. Howard Wang was scheduled for arraignment on double murder charges on Oct. 3. He was also chaged with criminal threats and tampering with a witness for allegedly threatening his wife in August 2024 and preventing her from calling police in January 2023.
“This case serves as a sobering reminder of domestic violence’s far-reaching consequences,” said Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton in a prepared statement. “Our office will pursue justice with the seriousness and urgency this tragedy demands.”
Howard Wang faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.
