Google Software Engineer Was 'Spattered in Blood' After Allegedly Beating Wife to Death: Police

Liren Chen is charged with murder after his wife's body was found with blunt force trauma. Chen's hand was "extremely swollen and purple," police say

When police arrived to Liren Chen's Santa Clara, Calif., home, they allegedly discovered the Google software engineer with a swollen hand and "spattered in blood," authorities say. Then they found the lifeless body of his wife nearby.

Police were called to the home for a welfare check after a friend was unable to reach Chen, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said. Although Chen allegedly wouldn't answer his phone or the door of his home, the friend did see Chen “motionless on his knees, had his hands in the air and was staring blankly,” per the DA's Office.

Once authorities entered the home, they allegedly saw Chen's right hand was "extremely swollen and purple," according to the DA's Office, and located his deceased wife in the residence with blunt force trauma to her head. The DA's Office also noted that Chen allegedly had blood on "his clothing, legs, arms, and hands and scratches on his arm.”

Chen was arrested and charged with murder in connection with his wife's death. He has since been hospitalized.

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The San Francisco Standard, Fox News and the Hindustan Times identified Chen's wife as Xuanyi Yu.

According to Yu's LinkedIn profile — which now reads "In remembrance" — she was a Software Engineer at Google for the last two years and eight months. She received her bachelor's degree form Tsinghua University in Beijing and master's degree from UC San Diego.

According to Chen's Linkedin profile, he was also a Software Engineer at Google who attended Tsinghua University and UC San Diego. According to property records cited by the Hindustan Times, the couple purchased the home where Yu was killed in April 2023.

It is unclear if Chen has retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Bailey Tomson, a Google spokesperson, said, "We are shocked and deeply saddened by what has happened to Xuanyi. Our thoughts are with her family at this time, and we're working to provide support to them and to co-workers who are processing this tragic news."

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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