Sunday, 9 August 2026, 2:10
On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at about 10:14 p.m., deputies responded to the 2100 block of Monteverde Drive in Chino Hills after reports of gunshots and screaming. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said the power to Shukur Aikebaer's home had been cut. When Aikebaer went outside to check the electrical panel, two men shot and kidnapped him.
Investigators are looking into the possibility that the power was purposely turned off as a ruse to get him outside.
Neighbors described the chaos. "Gunshot, we heard first, and then we heard, 'Help, help, help,'" neighbor J.R. told NBC Los Angeles. Aikebaer's wife and daughter were home at the time. Witnesses said they heard the wife screaming that her husband had been shot.
An eyewitness who asked not to be identified said he saw a car pull up late Wednesday night and later heard screams before the car sped away. This account aligns with the sequence of events described by investigators.
Deputies spotted the suspects' silver Nissan Altima and attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. The driver, later identified as Zhengfeng Bo, the older brother, refused to yield. The short chase ended in the 2400 block of Wandering Ridge Drive, more than a mile away.
The Nissan Altima had Oregon license plates, authorities said. Deputies were initially unaware that a kidnapping victim was inside the trunk; the victim was not discovered until after the suspect opened fire.
Surveillance video from a home captured the final moments. The passenger, Jianquan Bo, got out and was taken into custody. The driver, Zhengfeng Bo, initially complied with deputies before returning to the driver's seat, grabbing something, then walking to the trunk and pointing into it. Deputies opened fire, killing Zhengfeng Bo. Aikebaer was pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies immediately began lifesaving measures on both the victim and the suspect, but neither survived. No deputies were injured during the incident.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Gloria Orejel described the scene as "disturbing" and said deputies initially did not know that a kidnapped victim was in the trunk. "Apparently there was a victim inside there who had been kidnapped from the previous Monteverde (Drive) address," Orejel told reporters. She said the driver "failed to yield and a short pursuit began." Surveillance footage showed the passenger getting out of the car with his arms in the air. Aerial footage from AIR7 later showed a covered body on the ground next to the car, along with several evidence markers; the body still appeared to be in the trunk.
Sheriff Shannon Dicus called the killing "a calculated act of violence." Dicus said deputies were not aware that anyone was in the trunk during the traffic stop. "Normally, law enforcement officers order people out of the car," he said, but Jianquan Bo got out, drawing the deputies' focus as they struggled to communicate through a language barrier. In that confusion, Zhengfeng Bo allegedly exited the vehicle and shot the victim before being killed by deputies. Surveillance footage later showed Zhengfeng Bo had returned to the driver's seat to pull the trunk release lever before walking to the trunk. District Attorney Jason Anderson said the deputies fired only after Zhengfeng Bo shot Aikebaer inside the trunk. Anderson said Jianquan Bo could not be charged in connection with his brother's death because the act that prompted the deputies to open fire was committed solely by the deceased suspect. "We had to dust off our law books for this one," Anderson said.
Prosecutors said the brothers drove more than 30 miles from their Irvine home to Chino Hills. Jianquan Bo, who was in the passenger seat, was not injured in the shooting.
Investigators said the victim and suspects were connected through a prior working relationship. Public records reviewed by the Los Angeles Times show Zhengfeng Bo and Aikebaer were officers in Panshi Inc., a commercial real estate firm in Irvine. Bo was CEO and Aikebaer was CFO and secretary. Business records obtained by Eyewitness News also show the two men listed as having roles together in at least two LLCs; both companies are involved in lawsuits filed this year, including one filed earlier this week.
Zhengfeng Bo's attorney, Michael Chen, said he was representing Bo in a legal dispute over a $20 million apartment complex in Pasadena. A lawsuit filed in February claimed developers owed more than $2 million. On July 27, Chen filed another claim against the developers, the Madison Collection LLC, seeking to oust property managers and transfer control to Panshi.
Chen said Bo, Panshi and another associate had loaned more than $2 million to the developers of the apartment complex, identified as The Madison Collection LLC. The developers had been stonewalling these efforts for months, according to the lawsuit, refusing to turn over books and bank accounts.
Chen described Aikebaer as a "middleman" between Bo and the developers. Chen said he believes Aikebaer introduced Bo to the person with whom he had the dispute. He said he never saw signs of violence from Bo. "I was just shocked to hear about this. I had never seen this side of him," Chen told the Los Angeles Times.
The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Representatives for The Madison Collection could not be reached for comment.
Chen described Bo as "a very reasonable person" and "a very calm person," and said he was genuinely stunned and shaken by the news. He said he had no idea what information could have prompted Bo's actions, or if the killing was even connected to the business dispute. "I was really surprised," he said.
According to Tony Lu, who was a friend of Zhengfeng, the man was a real estate investor from China. They were neighbors in Irvine and became friends afterward. "Both our families hung out at his place," Lu said, adding that he was in disbelief after hearing what law enforcement had to say about his former neighbor.
Tony Lu, a friend and former neighbor of Zhengfeng Bo in Irvine, said Zhengfeng had confided in him about the Pasadena investment about two years before the killing. Lu said Zhengfeng asked him for resources to address concerns about the apartment complex. "Basically, there's no net positive cash flow for him or his business," Lu said. Lu also said Zhengfeng suspected Aikebaer was involved in the investment, saying, "He suspect he was involved in some of his investment. He knew he try to use him to make some money." Zhengfeng had introduced Lu to Aikebaer several times, describing him as a nice family man and businessman. Aikebaer was not mentioned in either of the two lawsuits against the apartment complex's owners, Lu noted.
District Attorney Jason Anderson said authorities are still trying to determine a motive for the kidnapping and shooting but suspect the business relationship may have soured between the two men. He said investigators would look at business records "to see if there was a financial motive or was it just the result of a financial loss."
At a Monday news conference, prosecutors were asked about a possible motive. "It's always very difficult to explain criminal behavior, particularly with something this dynamic and that happened as quickly as this did," District Attorney Jason Anderson said. "Obviously, there's been a relationship there... through a business relationship. There's been some type of dispute, perhaps either decision-making in the business or a financial loss that led to a dispute. I'm not going to be able to answer that until we have a chance to look into business records."
Most sources agree on the basic sequence, but some details vary. The sheriff's department said Aikebaer was shot at the house and then shot again in the trunk. CBS Los Angeles also reported he was shot at the first location as well. Early reports from NBC and CBS listed both suspects as 67 years old; later official identifications listed Jianquan Bo as 66.
Authorities said evidence was recovered at the Chino Hills residence. A search warrant was also served at an Irvine home shared by the suspects. Detectives with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Specialized Investigations Division - Homicide Detail have assumed the investigation.
The investigation extended to Orange County on Thursday afternoon, when the search warrant was served at a home on Crossover in Irvine, where the two alleged kidnappers lived together. Authorities said evidence was recovered there. A neighbor who witnessed the scene told NBC Los Angeles, "The police and the SWAT had all their guns drawn. That's when they told us to go inside."
Chino Hills is a residential city in San Bernardino County with a reputation for safety. Violent crimes are uncommon, making this case especially jarring for local residents. On Monday, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office announced charges against Jianquan Bo, including a special circumstance that the murder occurred during a kidnapping. He was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Jianquan Bo appeared in a San Bernardino County courtroom and pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Prosecutors spoke to reporters after the hearing.
District Attorney Jason Anderson said Bo, who has a prior criminal conviction, was charged because he knew the plan and participated in the deadly plot. The special circumstance enhancement applies because Aikebaer died during the commission of a kidnapping.
Special circumstances counts can increase potential penalties during the sentencing phase of a criminal trial.
Shukur Aikebaer, 60, was a husband and father of three daughters, according to a GoFundMe page created by his family. Local reports described him as an immigrant from China and part of the Uyghur community. The relationship between the victim and suspects appears to have been professional, not personal. The killing has drawn attention because of its brazen nature and the public setting in which it occurred.
The GoFundMe page described Aikebaer as the family's sole provider. Organizers wrote: "No family should ever have to endure the heartbreak of losing somebody they love so suddenly and unexpectedly, especially in such a senseless act of violence. He was caring, selfless, and the most loving person."
Aikebaer's daughter told CBS Los Angeles that her family has no idea why the men targeted her father and is just as desperate for answers as the community. "Nothing makes sense. It feels like a movie. I just wish this was a bad dream and I would wake up and he would be here," she said, fighting tears. "I just wish this was a bad dream and I would wake up and he would be here."
Speaking to NBC Los Angeles on Friday, the eldest daughter, who did not want her name used, remembered her father as "the greatest father ever." "He was the best dad, best person. To anyone around him, everyone would say he's just a blessing to have around," she said. She said she recognized the names of the two suspects but did not expand, and she and her family are still trying to understand why Wednesday night's events unfolded.
New images from the GoFundMe page show Aikebaer surrounded by his wife and daughters, including one photo of him hugging one of his daughters at her graduation.
Several neighbors said they are friends of the victim's family but declined to appear on camera because they feared for their safety following the violence. Family friend Adam Nijiati said the man who lived at the home was in his 60s and owned several small businesses. After learning about the incident, Nijiati rushed to the home, hoping his friend was not the person who had been taken. "I'm just really worried because nobody's picking up the phone," Nijiati said.
Nijiati said he assumed the family was at the police station, adding, "I'm just really worried because nobody's picking up the phone. I'm assuming they're at the police station answering questions or something, but nobody's picking up the phone."
Throughout the day Friday, several people were seen walking up to Aikebaer's home, some bringing food and support to the family. Aikebaer's daughter said a friend came super early and slept over at the house with her and her mother so they would not be alone and scared. "We don't feel safe anymore, like anything can happen. We don't feel very protected," she said.
On Monday afternoon, the victim's driveway was full of cars as family gathered to grieve. Several family members declined to comment.
Monday's news conference clarified the charges against Jianquan Bo: murder with a special circumstance of kidnapping. The case has left Chino Hills residents shaken and raised questions about how a financial dispute escalated into an execution-style killing. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Homicide Detail at (909) 890-4904.
"We allege that Mr. Bo knew exactly what the plan was when they went to the victim's home, what was going to be done, participated in what led up to the death of Mr. Shakur and that's why we filed murder charges against the surviving suspect," District Attorney Jason Anderson said.
