Man Sentenced to Life for 2020 Chinatown Double Murder

Alvin Thomas receives two consecutive life sentences for killing Huayi Bian and Weizhong Xiong during a robbery attempt.

Feb. 11, 2026 at 7:15pm

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Alvin Thomas, 25, was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the 2020 murders of Huayi Bian, 36, and Weizhong Xiong, 38, during an attempted robbery in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood. Thomas confronted the victims and Xiong's wife, Hong Li Yang, after they had gone out to dinner, shooting Xiong multiple times as he was exiting a car. Yang hid under another vehicle and witnessed her husband's death.

Why it matters

The double homicide shook the Chinatown community and raised concerns about public safety and crime in the neighborhood. The sentencing brings some closure to the victims' families after a lengthy legal process.

The details

According to prosecutors, Thomas confronted the victims and Xiong's wife, Hong Li Yang, after they had gone out to dinner to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival. As Xiong was exiting the passenger seat of a car, Thomas shot him multiple times. Yang hid under another vehicle and witnessed her husband's death. At the time of the shooting, police said Thomas had demanded money, and while Yang complied, Bian and Xiong refused and were shot.

  • On February 9, 2020, the murders occurred in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood.
  • On February 11, 2026, Alvin Thomas was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murders.

The players

Alvin Thomas

A 25-year-old man who was convicted of the 2020 murders of Huayi Bian and Weizhong Xiong in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood.

Huayi Bian

A 36-year-old man who was killed by Alvin Thomas during an attempted robbery in 2020.

Weizhong Xiong

A 38-year-old man who was killed by Alvin Thomas during an attempted robbery in 2020. He was the husband of Hong Li Yang.

Hong Li Yang

The widow of Weizhong Xiong, who witnessed her husband's murder by Alvin Thomas in 2020.

Judge Neera Walsh

The Cook County Criminal Court judge who sentenced Alvin Thomas to two consecutive life sentences for the 2020 murders.

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What they’re saying

“Exactly six years and two days after such a long wait, finally, justice is served, and the defendant deserves two life term sentences. And finally, I can tell my late husband somewhere up there that we did it and, finally, we got justice.”

— Hong Li Yang, Widow of Weizhong Xiong (CBS2)

What’s next

The judge's sentencing of Alvin Thomas to two consecutive life sentences concludes the legal proceedings for this case.

The takeaway

This double homicide in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood underscores the ongoing challenges of public safety and crime in the city, and the importance of the justice system in providing closure for victims' families after such tragic events.