LOS ANGELES-It was Thursday morning, October 20, 2016, when a concerned friend made entry into the home of a senior couple, located in the 3300 block of Bent Twig Lane, Diamond Bar, to check their welfare. He did so at the request of the couples’ family, who were unable to reach them and needed to know why they were out of contact.
The concerned friend knew the residents as a loving husband and wife team, who operated a studio out of their home and taught art lessons. As the friend checked their home, he discovered the husband, Cheng Long Wang, 60, in one of the rooms; he was gravely injured, appeared to have been stabbed multiple times and possibly dead. The friend immediately exited and called 911.
Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel responded to the home, where the husband was pronounced dead.
The victim’s wife, Mei Chu Chung, 57, was also located inside the home; she, too, was mortally wounded with stab wounds and declared dead at the scene.
Both Cheng Long Wang, known as David, and Mei Chu Chung, known as Marian, emigrated from Taiwan in the year 2000. They were creative and well-respected within their community, and in an instant, the home which this gentle couple shared with others as a place to learn and be creative was turned into a crime scene where they were both brutally attacked, stabbed to death and likely robbed.
At a press conference held at the Hall of Justice, the Homicide Bureau unit commander, Captain Steve Katz, introduced one of the couple’s children, Dr. Gary Wang. Dr. Wang explained how difficult the loss of his parents has been –not just for him and his sister, but for his 4-year-old daughter. He revealed how his little girl missed video chats with grandma and cried at night for her grandparents; and relayed how he had to put their death in terms she could understand by explaining that grandma and grandpa “went to heaven.”
Dr. Wang made an emotional plea to the public, asking them to provide any information which may help solve the murder of his parents, for their justice.
Sheriff McDonnell spoke about the victims’ life journey and accomplishments. He said, “This couple were married for 30 years and were the classic example of an American success story.” He recognized the retired couple for having raised a successful family, as evidenced by their children who both became doctors, and for having dedicated time to their community by offering art lessons in their home.
Supervisor Janice Hahn, 4th District, thanked Sheriff McDonnell, Captain Katz and the Homicide Bureau detectives for their hard work on this investigation. In an effort to encourage witnesses to step forward, she announced a monetary reward approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. A sum of $20,000 was offered in exchange for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the couple’s murder.
Captain Katz presented a second monetary reward which was approved by the city of Diamond Bar for $10,000, offered in addition to the Board of Supervisors’ reward offer.
If you have any information about this case, please call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
