A former NYPD officer has been sentenced to 27 years in prison after she fatally shot her ex-girlfriend’s new partner and unsuccessfully attempted to murder her ex-girlfriend in a fit of jealous rage nearly three years ago.
Yvonne Wu, 34, was sentenced to five years for second-degree attempted murder for shooting her ex, Jenny Li, and 22 years for first-degree manslaughter in connection with the murder of her ex’s new partner, Jamie Liang, according to the Office of Attorney General Letitia James, which handled the prosecution in the case. Wu was also sentenced to five years of post-release supervision.
Wu pleaded guilty in front of Acting Kings County Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun in June.
The case stems from Oct. 13 of 2021 when Wu, who lived in Staten Island, traveled to Li’s home at 19th Ave. and 79th St. in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, entered through an unlocked back entrance, and waited for Li and Liang to return home. Upon their arrival, Wu fired six shots, ultimately killing Liang, according to the New York Daily News.
Officers who responded to the case found Liang lying in the living room with a gunshot wound to her chest, while Li was lying on the floor in the bedroom after getting shot in the torso, according to the Staten Island Advance.
Wu, who was off duty at the time, promptly claimed responsibility for her actions when police arrived on the scene, the Daily News reported. Wu used her NYPD-issued service weapon to commit the crimes.
“This monster did not just take Jamie’s life — she took a part of us away with her,” Liang’s father, Ying Cai Liang, said in a victim impact statement, according to the New York Post. “She took away our pride, our hope and our joy. She left permanent scars in our hearts; our lives will never be the same. Jamie was only 24 years old. She had her whole life ahead of her. This cold-blooded monster took our little girl, our little angel. The murderer is a police officer who is supposed to protect and serve.”
When asked for comment, James’ office only pointed to a brief press release issued by its own office on Aug. 28.
Wu’s defense attorney, Lawrence Fredella, did not return a phone call requesting comment for this story.
A GoFundMe page has raised more than $45,000 to assist Liang’s family with funeral arrangements. The page recalls Liang as a studious 24-year-old who was attending New York University to become a dentist. An outpouring of support spilled into the comments section, where Liang’s former classmates and friends shared memorable moments in and out of the classroom.
