Half Moon Bay taking pictures suspect charged with 7 counts of homicide allegedly felt ‘disrespected’

Northern California prosecutors on Wednesday filed seven homicide fees and one tried homicide cost in opposition to the person accused of gunning down farm employees Monday within the quaint oceanside city of Half Moon Bay. The suspect stated he believed he had been “disrespected” by the victims.

The San Mateo County Coroner’s Workplace has named six of the seven victims: Zhishen Liu, 73, of San Francisco; Marciano Martinez Jimenez, 50, of Moss Seaside; Aixiang Zhang, 74, of San Francisco; Qizhong Cheng, 66, of Half Moon Bay; Jingzhi Lu, 64, of Half Moon Bay; and Yetao Bing, 43, whose hometown was listed as unknown.

The costs filed by DA Steve Wagstaffe in opposition to suspect Chunli Zhao, 66, did embrace the title of the seventh sufferer, Jose Romero Perez, and one cost of tried homicide in connection to the taking pictures of Pedro Romero Perez.

“Now we have not had in San Mateo County earlier than, a case with one occasion of seven murders without delay,” Wagstaffe stated at a information convention.

Zhao made his preliminary court docket look on Wednesday afternoon in Redwood Metropolis.

He was shackled and in a purple jail jumpsuit, and walked into court docket holding a yellow piece of paper that he at occasions used to hide his face from cameras.

Zhao, speaking by means of a Mandarin interpreter, confirmed his title and San Mateo County Superior Court docket Choose Susan Jakubowski appointed legal professional Jonathan D. McDougall to signify him.

Choose Jakubowski ordered Zhao held with out bail and set his arraignment for Feb. 16.

Investigators have labeled the slayings as acts of “office violence,” with Zhao having labored with a number of the victims.

Zhao labored at Mountain Mushroom Farm, one in all two agricultural companies the place employees had been killed on Monday afternoon, authorities stated.

NBC Bay Space cited police sources with direct information of the investigation to report that Zhao had instructed investigators that he had been “disrespected” by co-workers within the years main as much as the shootings.

Zhao was arrested about two hours after the taking pictures as he sat in his parked automobile exterior the sheriff’s substation in Half Moon Bay.

The legal grievance fees Zhao within the order that investigators imagine the killings and tried killing occurred, Wagstaffe stated. The costs begin with Qi Zhong Cheng, and finish with Ai Xiang Zhang.

“This investigation is 2 days previous,” Wagstaffe stated. “There’s an terrible lot extra to be taught.”

Gemma DiCasimirro, Irene Byon and Phil Helsel contributed.