Jim Tan murder

[Donovan]

Ok, this is a developing story in my town that gets more twisty every day. I started to put it into Misc cases, but it has potential to gain traction based on recent developments.

Short version of the story is this. Jim Tan, CEO of a high-end CMOS imaging company in Canandiagua New York, was shot multiple times and killed in his Pittsford home. The alleged killer is his 19 year old son Charlie Tan, and the wife Qing Tan was also involved.


Original story 2 10 15

NBC national coverage


Here's where the twists start. First, the Tans are a wealthy family, and CJ Tan was no "troubled son", he was a respected student at Cornell University. No immediate motive presented itself

However

police revealed they had been called to the home 18 or more times in the recent years for domestic issues involving the parents. So people began to speculate on a "prodigal son defends the mom" scenario.

Then

it was revealed Tan may have been killed as many as a few days before 911 was called by the mom, who was characterized as "highly uncooperative" on the phone.


Information was revealed that the police were unsure if mom had witnessed the shooting, had done the shooting, had helped cover up the shooting, or what.

Meanwhile, most public support seems to be falling behind the son and the consensus is he was white-knighting on his mom's behalf after a lifetime of witnessing/being targeted with abuse. I know this forum frowns on speculation so I am trying to give just the particulars, but at this early stage that's almost all they have.

[Duchess]

I know this forum frowns on speculation so I am trying to give just the particulars, but at this early stage that's almost all they have.

I feel like we speculate quite a bit. I do anyway. I always say it's my opinion or this is what I think, etc. but we talk about scenarios and such. If we present something as fact we simply back it up with where it came from.

That's a lot of times for the police to show up for domestic violence issues.

[ZEROSPHERES]

Anybody see the young man's mug shot? He in no way looks upset or troubled. He looks serene and composed and looks unaffected by the gravity of the circumstances that surround him.

[Duchess]

Charlie Tan -



Only weeks before Liang Tan was fatally shot — allegedly by his son, a sophomore at Cornell University — Tan's wife sought an order of protection because she was a victim of abuse, according to a Monroe County defense lawyer.

That claim — that the Tan household in Pittsford was, in contrast to its serene suburban setting, violent and tumultuous — will likely be the centerpiece of the defense for Charles Tan, the 19-year-old now accused of fatally shooting his father.

Charles Tan is charged with second-degree murder, arrested at his home Monday night by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Authorities allege that he shot his father, Liang, multiple times with a shotgun.

Tan's defense attorney, James Nobles, said Wednesday that he has seen police reports alleging abuse in the household at 37 Coachside Lane. Liang Tan was abusive toward his wife, Qing Tan, and Charles and an older brother, Nobles said.

Story

[Donovan]

He's getting tons of local support from the friends and family. Not known as a bad kid by any means. The weird part is the time of death which they're now saying may be as much as two or three days before the 911 call.

[HairOfTheDog]

Interesting case, Donovan.

Speculation is highly encouraged here; debating differences of opinion welcomed too. The only rule that LC established for the crime forum in regard to speculation and opinions is that they be labeled as such.



^Charlie Tan, 19, is a popular kid and reportedly has an incredible amount of support in the community. Within a couple of days, $50,000 was raised by his supporters for his defense costs via an on-line campaign and a large group gathered at the courthouse to show their support.

He was indicted for second degree murder and the prosecutor said that the grand jury saw evidence indicating that Jim (Liang) Tan died sometime between Feb. 5^th and Feb. 9^th (the 9^th is the night 911 was called to the house to report him dead).

Police contend that they had made a visit to the home in response to a call on Feb. 5^th and that Jim Tan could have been dead then (they aren't saying who called, nor detailing the nature of the call).

It will be interesting to find out the estimated time of death from the Medical Examiner. If Charlie Tan was at Cornell at that time, mom's gonna be in trouble (the Tans' other son lives in Colorado).

Based on interviews with friends and neighbors, it seems as though Jim Tan was the one doing the abusing in the home. I could easily see either Charlie or his mom getting off with self defense, IF it turns out Jim's estimated time of death was on or about the 9^th.

[QueenBee]

Pittsford is a rich suburb of Rochester. The kid was indicted the other day. Not much local has come out on the possible time of death, except that the ME has not released a TOD yet. At least not to the public.

[HairOfTheDog]

This is a really odd case.

Charlie Tan was tried for the murder of his father last year; the jury hung.

When the prosecution and defense attended a hearing to set the schedule for Tan's re-trial, the judge shocked the prosecutor and many others by dropping the charges and contending that the prosecutor didn't prove his case.

Prosecutor Gargan was visibly pissed off and reminded the judge that Tan admitted to police he killed his father and his prints were on the shotgun shells, but the judge wouldn't budge.

So, Charlie Tan is a free young man; he has not re-enrolled at Cornell. His mother was never charged.

Here's the Dateline NBC episode for those interesting in more details of the case.


In August 2016, the State filed an appeal of the judge's decision in hopes of being able to retry Charlie Tan.