Contra Costa Prosecutors Link Walnut Creek Murder Suspect To Multi-City Contract Killing Conspiracy Across California

Prosecutors add new murder charges against Howard Wang, alleging a statewide conspiracy involving a hired hitman and the deaths of three people in California.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 3:48 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Hoodline

Expansion of a High-Profile Homicide Case

Contra Costa County prosecutors have significantly escalated the legal proceedings against Walnut Creek resident Howard Wang, stacking new murder counts that suggest a broader criminal network. Wang, who has been in custody since late 2025, is now accused of being the central figure in a multi-city killing plot that spans both Northern and Southern California. The updated filing effectively merges several once-distinct investigations into a single, complex conspiracy case involving hired violence and the systematic elimination of family members.

The San Gabriel Connection and Contract Allegations

A critical component of the new charges involves a fatal shooting that occurred on June 8, 2024, in San Gabriel. According to investigators, a man was gunned down outside an apartment complex in an attack that remained unsolved for months. Prosecutors now allege that Wang conspired with 33-year-old Demarques Peal to carry out the Southern California execution. Peal has since been apprehended and extradited to Contra Costa County, where he faces murder and conspiracy counts. Evidence from the San Gabriel scene, including tracking data and communication records, reportedly links the hitman directly to Wang’s inner circle.

A Domestic Tragedy in Walnut Creek

The foundation of the case rests on the events of September 18, 2025, when authorities discovered the bodies of Linlin Guo and her mother, Beimin Cheng. The victims were found inside a residence on Kelobra Court while the couple’s eight-year-old twin daughters were present in the home. The District Attorney’s Office initially charged Wang with the double homicide, but the latest court documents suggest these killings were not isolated incidents of domestic rage. Instead, they are being framed as part of a larger, premeditated strategy involving professional assistance to resolve personal or financial disputes.