Wyn Leung: California man with a history of domestic violence convicted of murdering his wife in a church

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: A California man, who has a long history of domestic violence, has been convicted of murdering his wife in a church on Palm Sunday, January 28. Wyn Leung, 47, stabbed Jieyun Zhou, 37, over a dozen times before turning the knife on himself and then crawling back to his wife, knife still in hand, to stab her again. In total, she was stabbed 20 times. 

According to a press release issued by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, a jury of Leung’s peers found him guilty of one count each of murder in the first degree, domestic violence, and violating a restraining order causing injury on Thursday, February 1. 

When did Wyn Leung attack his wife Jieyun Zhou?

The incident occurred just after 1 pm inside the Chinese Christian Church, located in the Ingleside Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, on March 25, 2018, right after most of the parishioners had left following the celebration of the movable feast. Zhou remained inside, cleaning up.

Wyn Leung violated a restraining order issued in his wife’s favor

Leung, known to have an aggressive attitude, entered the church at 10 Chester Avenue, violating a restraining order issued in his wife’s favor and asked a 79-year-old assistant to see the pastor. In turn, Zhou said she did not want to speak to her husband and told church staffers she needed to get out of the building, as per the San Francisco Chronicle. 

The criminal was quick to find his wife in the kitchen. Another employee heard the screams and ran in after Leung, finding him with one arm brandishing a knife; the other arm around his wife’s neck. He stabbed Zhou in the chest and back repeatedly and then stabbed himself.

“Defendant and Zhou fell to the ground,” San Francisco County Assistant District Attorney Julia Cervantes wrote in a denial of bail petition, adding “Defendant got up and crawled to Zhou to stab her again.”

When were the authorities informed about the incident?

Upon witnessing the harrowing incident, the employee ran out of the kitchen to dial 911, prosecutors wrote. The pastor then entered and found the dying woman facedown on the floor. Her husband, at the time, was sitting next to her holding the knife, the pastor told law enforcement. “If I’m going to jail, I might as well die,” the murderer told the pastor.

Around 2.10 pm police arrived to find Leung still in the kitchen, still alive, still wielding what law enforcement described as a “survival looking knife.” The killer allegedly pointed the knife at responding officers and they fired a beanbag round at him. After that, he lost color in his complexion, sat down, and dropped the knife, prosecutors say.

Authorities had to use pepper spray to detain Wyn Leung

Leung still struggled with police when they moved in to try and arrest him, the Chronicle reported. He managed to rip a body-worn camera off one of three officers attempting to subdue him. He was finally taken into custody after police used pepper spray to irritate his mucus membranes and batons to detain him.

First aid was rendered to Zhou while being rushed to San Francisco General Hospital. She succumbed to her wounds an hour later.

Jieyun Zhou filed for divorce from Wyn Leung months before the fatal violence

Evidence presented during the trial showed Zhou filed for divorce months before the fatal violence. The mother of two was granted preliminary custody of the couple’s children and a family court counselor recommended she receive full physical and legal custody. A family court hearing was scheduled for March 28, 2018.

Wyn Leung's criminal past

Leung was twice charged with domestic violence over incidents involving his wife in San Mateo County, according to Oakland-based Fox-affiliate KTVU. One case, filed in 2013, was dismissed.

“I would like to thank the jury for their service in this case and delivering justice to the victim’s family and friends who have patiently waited for years to see justice achieved,” San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said in a statement.