A Google software engineer has been arrested for allegedly murdering his wife, who also worked for the tech giant, ABC7 reports.
Around 11 a.m. Tuesday, police found 27-year-old Liren Chen “spattered in blood” near the body of his wife inside the couple’s home on Valley Way in Santa Clara, prosecutors said in a press release.
Officers had responded to the residence for a welfare check after an acquaintance told authorities they were concerned because neither Chen nor his wife would answer the door or their phones.
The acquaintance reportedly told police they could see Chen in the house “motionless on his knees, had his hands in the air and . . . staring blankly,” the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said.
Upon entering the house, officers saw the body of Chen’s wife on the floor in a bedroom. She had blunt force trauma to her head and her right arm appeared “extremely swollen and purple,” according to the district attorney’s office. The wife’s name has not been released.
Google confirmed to the San Francisco Chronicle that Chen and his wife both worked for the company. “We are shocked and deeply saddened by what has happened to the victim,” a Google spokesperson told the Chronicle in a written statement. “Our thoughts are with her family at this time, and we will work to provide support to them and to co-workers who are processing this tragic news.”
A LinkedIn profile with Chen’s name says he has been employed at Google as a software engineer since March 2020.
Chen’s initial arraignment was delayed because he has been hospitalized, according to NBC Bay Area.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen urged anyone facing domestic violence to seek help. While domestic violence deaths have declined, Rosen said 911 calls about domestic violence have been increasing in the community.
“Anyone who feels that they or someone else is being abused by their partners, please reach out your local law enforcement agency. You are not alone. We can help,” Rosen said the press release.
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
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