Zhengfeng Bo, the 67-year-old Irvine man who openly kidnapped a enterprise affiliate, stuffed him within the trunk of a automotive, led police on a high-speed chase after which executed his sufferer in entrance of shocked deputies, was “a really cheap individual,” in response to his lawyer.
In an interview, Michael Chen, who had been representing Bo in a heated authorized dispute over a $20-million residence complicated in Pasadena, sounded genuinely shocked and shaken by the information, including that his consumer at all times struck him as “a really calm individual.”
Bo died in a hail of police bullets through the visitors cease on Wednesday evening after sheriff’s deputies mentioned he kidnapped Shukur Aikebaer, 60, from his Chino Hills dwelling — however not earlier than nonchalantly exiting the driving force’s seat, sauntering to the again of the automotive and fatally taking pictures Aikebaer, who was nonetheless within the trunk.
Investigators from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Division haven’t revealed a motive for the slaying, which performed out on the in any other case quiet streets of Chino Hills like a scene from a Quentin Tarantino movie, however they famous that the shooter and sufferer knew one another “by way of a previous working relationship.”
The 2 had been associates in a industrial actual property agency, Panshi Inc., registered in Irvine, in response to public information. Paperwork present Bo served as chief govt officer, whereas Aikebaer was listed as the corporate’s chief monetary officer and secretary.
Bo, Panshi and one other affiliate lent the builders of the residence complicated greater than $2 million, a minimum of a few of which had not been repaid, in response to a lawsuit Chen filed in February in Los Angeles County Superior Court docket.
On Monday, Chen filed one other declare in opposition to the builders, The Madison Assortment LLC, searching for to oust its property managers and switch management to Panshi.
The Madison Assortment had been stonewalling these efforts for months, in response to the lawsuit, refusing to show over books and financial institution accounts.
Representatives for The Madison Assortment couldn’t be reached for remark.
Aikebaer had been the “intermediary” between Panshi and The Madison Assortment, Chen mentioned. So far as he knew, till Wednesday, Bo and Aikebaer had a superb relationship. There was nothing “adversarial” about it, he mentioned.
“However clearly, one thing occurred,” Chen mentioned. “Perhaps some data got here to mild that prompted [Bo] to take this motion.”
Chen mentioned he had no concept what that data might have been, or if the killing was even related to the enterprise dispute.
“I used to be simply shocked to listen to about this,” Chen mentioned. “I had by no means seen this aspect of him. I used to be actually shocked.”
Aikebaer walked out of his home on Wednesday night to analyze why the ability had gone out when he was confronted by Bo and his brother, Jianquan Bo.
They shot Aikebaer a minimum of as soon as after which shoved him into the trunk of a silver Nissan Altima, in response to the Sheriff’s Division.
Aikebaer’s spouse and daughter had been dwelling on the time. Neighbors mentioned they heard the spouse screaming that her husband had been shot.
Responding to 911 calls, deputies noticed the Nissan dashing away from the scene. It led them on a mile-long chase, ending within the 2400 block of Wandering Ridge Drive, the place they ordered the driving force and a passenger out of the automobile.
Jianquan Bo, who was within the passenger’s seat, complied.
Zhengfeng Bo, who had been within the driver’s seat, started to conform, in response to surveillance video obtained by a neighborhood TV station. However then he returned to the driving force’s seat, appeared to seize one thing, then walked again to the trunk.
That’s when deputies say Bo shot and killed Aikebaer, prompting officers to open hearth on him.
Deputies say they initiated lifesaving measures on each Bo and Aikebaer, with out success.
Jianquan Bo was not injured and was taken into custody. He was booked on suspicion of homicide and kidnapping.
