Introduction to the Case
A state appeals court panel has upheld the conviction of a man for the bludgeoning deaths of his then-estranged wife’s two teenage nephews in the boys’ Arcadia home.
The three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected the defense’s contention that Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Jared Moses had violated Deyun Shi’s right to a jury by finding that the defendant was sane at the time of the crimes after hearing from a forensic psychologist called on behalf of the defendant and by excusing jurors from making the decision in the trial’s sanity phase after finding him guilty.
Shi, now 54, was sentenced in May 2024 to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole for the Jan. 22, 2016, slayings of 15-year-old Anthony Lin, who was asleep when he was attacked with bolt cutters, and his 16-year-old brother, William, who was killed while studying in a separate room.
Background and Evidence
“The only evidence of (the) defendant’s mindset with regard to his criminal conduct showed planning and awareness of what he was doing,” the appellate court panel found in its 31-page ruling Wednesday. “A week before the murders, he searched the internet for information about committing a crime in the United States and fleeing to China to avoid punishment, including whether a Chinese citizen could escape liability for killing a local citizen abroad.”
Shi also withdrew $392,000 from his joint account with his estranged wife and transferred the funds to a Chinese bank hours before he assaulted her, the panel added.
He was convicted in March 2024 of two counts of first-degree murder, with jurors finding true the special-circumstance allegation of multiple murders and allegations that he personally used a deadly weapon — bolt cutters.
The jury also convicted Shi of one count of corporal injury for an attack on his then-wife in La Cañada Flintridge with a wood-splitting tool the night before the killings.
Trial and Defense
Deputy District Attorney MacKenzie Teymouri told jurors during the guilt phase of the trial that Shi planned the teens’ bludgeoning deaths in an “act of revenge” against the family of his estranged wife, who had filed for divorce.
One of Shi’s trial attorneys, Vicki Podberesky, countered that her client was suffering from delusions and did not premeditate or deliberate the attack.
Shi — who bought a ticket for a one-way flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Hong Kong — was arrested after arriving at the airport in Hong Kong and sent back to the United States to stand trial.
The teens’ father had been at a hospital with Shi’s wife after the attack that left her with a broken nose and an injury to her head, the deputy district attorney told jurors.
Prosecution Argument
The prosecutor said Shi “put the need for retribution” ahead of the lives of two innocent children.
Shi’s estranged wife had sought a temporary restraining order against him, and he had recently learned she had filed for divorce from Shi, who had been “abusive and controlling” with his wife for over a decade before she found strength in her family’s support after moving from China to the United States, according to the prosecutor.
The deputy district attorney told the jury that “every act along the way” suggests that Shi was “in his right mind” and “knows what he’s doing is wrong.”
Jurors saw surveillance video that Teymouri said shows there was “absolutely nothing unusual about the defendant” while he was at Los Angeles International Airport, and said his one-way flight to Hong Kong was consistent with his plan to flee to nearby China to avoid punishment.
Defense Argument
Podberesky called it a “tragic, tragic case” in which the two teenage boys were “brutally bludgeoned,” but said jurors had to decide was whether her client had the mental capacity to deliberate and premeditate the killings.
The defense lawyer said Shi had a history of mental issues documented in hospital records from China dating back to when he was 15 years old, and said the evidence supports a finding of “psychosis” stemming from schizoaffective disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Shi’s attorney cited “inexplicable acts of rage” by Shi in the months leading up to the killings, and told jurors that his actions were “so unprecedented” that his wife sought a restraining order against him.
“This is not a controlling man … This is a man who is deteriorating,” Podberesky said.
Conclusion
The conviction of Deyun Shi for the tragic and senseless murders of his estranged wife’s teenage nephews has been upheld by the appeals court, affirming the original sentence of two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole. The evidence presented during the trial, including Shi’s planning and awareness of his actions, supports the conclusion that he was sane at the time of the crimes and fully aware of the gravity of his actions.
FAQs
Q: What was the outcome of Deyun Shi’s appeal?
A: The appeals court upheld Shi’s conviction for the murders of his estranged wife’s teenage nephews.
Q: What was the sentence imposed on Shi?
A: Shi was sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole.
Q: What was the basis of the defense’s argument?
A: The defense argued that Shi was suffering from delusions and did not have the mental capacity to deliberate and premeditate the killings.
Q: What evidence did the prosecution present to support their argument?
A: The prosecution presented evidence of Shi’s planning and awareness of his actions, including his internet searches and financial transactions, to support their argument that he was sane and fully aware of the gravity of his actions.
