Walnut Creek Man Charged in Double Murder Now Linked to 2024 LA Killing

Prosecutors allege Howard Wang and Demarques James Pearl planned the killing of Chengli Li in advance.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 11:36pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up photograph of a single spent bullet casing on a dark surface, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the gritty, investigative nature of this complex crime case.A single spent bullet casing found at the crime scene provides key forensic evidence in this interconnected murder investigation.Los Angeles Today

A Walnut Creek man already facing double murder charges in the 2025 deaths of his wife and mother-in-law has now been charged in a separate 2024 homicide in Los Angeles County linked to the same case. Prosecutors say 43-year-old Howard Wang and 33-year-old Demarques James Pearl of Los Angeles have been charged in the killing of 41-year-old Chengli Li, who was in a relationship with Wang's girlfriend.

Why it matters

The Los Angeles County case will be combined with the Walnut Creek murders and prosecuted together in Contra Costa County, highlighting the complex and interconnected nature of this high-profile criminal investigation spanning multiple jurisdictions.

The details

Investigators allege Wang and Pearl planned the killing of Chengli Li in advance and traveled from the Bay Area to Southern California the day before the shooting outside Li's apartment in San Gabriel on June 8, 2024. Yan Wang, who is Howard Wang's girlfriend, is also a defendant in the Walnut Creek double homicide case.

  • The Los Angeles County case will be combined with the Walnut Creek murders and prosecuted in Contra Costa County.
  • Both defendants were scheduled to be arraigned at the A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez, but the hearings were postponed at the request of defense attorneys.
  • Pearl is now set to be arraigned on April 1, while Wang's arraignment is scheduled for April 14 at 1:30 p.m.

The players

Howard Wang

A 43-year-old man from Walnut Creek who is facing double murder charges in the 2025 deaths of his wife and mother-in-law, and has now been charged in a separate 2024 homicide in Los Angeles County linked to the same case.

Demarques James Pearl

A 33-year-old man from Los Angeles who has been charged along with Howard Wang in the killing of Chengli Li in 2024.

Chengli Li

A 41-year-old man who was in a relationship with Yan Wang, the girlfriend of Howard Wang, and was shot and killed outside his apartment in San Gabriel, California in 2024.

Yan Wang

The 45-year-old girlfriend of Howard Wang who is also a defendant in the Walnut Creek double homicide case.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The judge will decide on April 1 whether to allow Demarques James Pearl to be released on bail, and Howard Wang's arraignment is scheduled for April 14.

The takeaway

This complex case involving multiple murders and suspects across different jurisdictions highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in investigating interconnected crimes and the importance of coordinating prosecutions across county and state lines.