More than five years after the brutal killing of his wife, an Illinois man has been found guilty of first-degree murder in a case that prosecutors say stemmed from jealousy and domestic violence.
According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, Alan Wang, 61, was convicted on Wednesday for the 2020 death of his 35-year-old wife, Hongyan Yang, who was beaten to death after her husband discovered text messages from another man on her phone.
Authorities said the violent incident occurred on the evening of March 7, 2020, at the couple’s home in Naperville, Illinois. An investigation later revealed that Wang and his wife were in their bedroom when he confronted her about the messages. In a fit of rage, Wang kicked Yang multiple times, causing severe internal injuries.
The next morning, on March 8, a relative found Yang unresponsive and called 911. Responding officers from the Naperville Police and Fire Departments found her not breathing. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Initially, Wang was arrested and charged with aggravated domestic battery. However, after an autopsy revealed Yang died from blunt force trauma, prosecutors upgraded the charges to two counts of first-degree murder.
Investigators determined that Yang’s injuries were consistent with a violent assault, ruling out any accidental cause. Wang was subsequently indicted by a grand jury and held in custody pending trial.
In a statement following the verdict, DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin referenced national statistics on domestic violence, noting that 1,364 women were killed in 2020 as a result of domestic abuse, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Violent Death Reporting System.
“Those thirteen-hundred-plus women are not just a statistic,” Berlin said. “They were mothers, daughters, and sisters, each of whom had a full life ahead of them. Their tragic deaths remind us we still have a long way to go in preventing domestic violence.”
Berlin also expressed condolences to Yang’s family and commended law enforcement for their work.
“To Hongyan’s surviving family and friends, I offer my sincerest condolences on their loss and wish them strength as they continue their lives without the love and support she once provided,” Berlin said.
He went on to thank Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh for ensuring a fair trial, as well as the Naperville Police Department, DuPage County Coroner’s Office, and the Assistant State’s Attorneys Amanda Meindl, Sarah Henley, and Jeff O’Boyle for their diligent pursuit of justice.
Following his conviction, Wang now faces a mandatory prison sentence for first-degree murder. Sentencing will take place at a later date.
Authorities say Yang’s death is a sobering reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence and the urgent need for awareness, prevention, and protection for victims at risk.
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