Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Yang Zhang was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison for the stabbing death of Yat Ming Wong, who was killed in his apartment in May 2022. Zhang entered the man’s home and woke up the victim and his wife. A physical altercation ensued between the burglar and Wong allowing Wong’s wife to flee the bedroom before Wong was stabbed more than 100 times by Zhang.

District Attorney Katz said: “Yang Zhang broke into the home of a married couple in the middle of the night and terrorized them. He stabbed 41-year-old Yat Ming Wong to death with a pair of scissors, inflicting more than 100 wounds in a brutal and unprovoked act of violence. We hope today’s sentence provides a measure of comfort to Mr. Wong’s loved ones as they continue to mourn his completely senseless loss.”

Zhang, 39, of Flushing, pleaded guilty on May 13 to murder in the second degree in satisfaction of all charges against him. Queens Supreme Justice Ira Margulis sentenced him today to 18 years to life in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, on May 22, 2022, at approximately 2 a.m., the defendant climbed up to a third-floor balcony on 57^th Road in Flushing and gained access to an apartment. The victim, Yat Ming Wong, was asleep beside his wife when the defendant entered. The 41-year-old man confronted the intruder and the defendant used scissors to repeatedly stab the victim in his legs, neck, arms and head. The victim’s wife was able to escape without injury.

Wong sustained more than 100 distinct stab and slash wounds, which caused his death.

The defendant also burglarized a home on Haight Street in Flushing the day before the murder. He scaled the building and gained entry to a third-floor apartment. No one was home at the time of the intrusion.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Kanella Georgopoulos of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau prosecuted the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, Karen Ross and Jonathan Selkowe, Deputy Chiefs, and Assistant District Attorney Emily Santoro of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau prosecuted the burglary case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief, Timothy Regan, Deputy Chief, under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark.