Inset: Kenny Wu (Riverside County Jail). Background: The SpringHill Suites hotel in Palm Desert, California, where Wu murdered his wife and her lover (KESQ).
A 36-year-old man waited for his wife and her lover in a California hotel parking lot and "exploded" with rage when they showed up, stabbing both of them to death.
Kenny Wu was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his wife Yaying "YaYa" Wu and her lover Jesus Sanchez in Palm Desert, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
Deputies responded on July 15, 2022, to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon at the SpringHill Suites hotel. Deputies found a man and woman suffering from stab wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Cops also located Kenny Wu nearby with self-inflicted injuries. Paramedics took him to the hospital for treatment, and he was later transported to jail.
"Evidence presented at trial showed that Wu committed the killings after his wife firmly declared she wanted a divorce," prosecutors wrote. "The prosecution detailed evidence of stalking, domestic violence, infidelity, and ongoing marital issues leading up to the fatal confrontation."
According to a courtroom report from the City News Service, Kenny Wu's defense attorney John Dolan told jurors his client learned of his wife's affair a few months prior to the murders. The husband initially tried to forgive his wife, but his jealousy grew out of control when she continued the relationship, Dolan reportedly said.
On the day of the killings, the now-convicted murderer learned his wife and Sanchez had a rendezvous planned at the SpringHill Suites. He waited for his wife and Sanchez to show up. When they did, he pounced.
"The rage just exploded," Dolan told jurors.
He attacked both victims, stabbing them multiple times.
Prosecutors reportedly said Kenny Wu needed to be held accountable for his actions. The jury agreed.
The defendant will be sentenced on April 17.
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