Police in Hillsborough, New Jersey, conducted a wellness check at a home on September 25, 2025. They discovered a grisly scene and two people savagely beaten. David Lin and Jean Lin, both 69, were dead inside their home. Their son Patrick Lin, 37, was also inside but alive. When police tried to talk to Lin, he allegedly became combative and attempted to attack the officers. This resulted in two officers firing their weapons and striking Lin. He survived, and now he’s facing charges in his parents’ brutal deaths.
According to court documents obtained by Hillsborough, New Jersey, Patch, police arrived at the couple’s home on Cornell Trail around 4:45 p.m. for a wellness check, but could not get in touch with the residents. They finally entered about 6:30 p.m. and found a disturbing scene. Once inside, Lin allegedly came out of his bedroom, wielding a knife. An officer fired his weapon, and Lin dropped the knife. He picked it up again and lunged toward the other officer, who also shot Lin, the documents state.
Police immediately began life-saving measures before emergency crews took Lin to the hospital. As they continued to make their way through the home, they found the bodies of Patrick and Jean Lin “in separate bedrooms, both in their beds with their faces mutilated, caved-in, apparently bludgeoned to death,” per Patch. Court documents explained that the couple were beaten so badly that they were unrecognizable and dental records were used to identify them.
As they continued working their way through the home, police reportedly found blood spatters and a baseball bat used in the attack. According to court documents, Lin made multiple cash withdrawals in the days leading up to his parents’ deaths. He allegedly “strategically “parked one of the family’s cars away from the scene, presumably as an escape vehicle, per Patch.
Police reportedly found a notebook in Lin’s room with a wish list that allegedly included the item “to kill someone and get away with it.” Prosecutors charged Lin on January 16, 2026, with two counts of first-degree murder. He’s in a hospital, but upon his release, police will take him to Somerset County Jail.
Those wanting to support the memory of David and Jean Lin can donate to the Japanese American Citizens League’s David Lin Memorial Leadership Fund.
“With your generous support, leaders of JACL and OCA will determine the best use of your contributions. We are hoping that the funds can be invested to support rising leaders of both organizations,” the GoFundMe post explains. “David Lin played an active role in JACL and OCA. We are confident that he would have appreciated your support for both of these fine organizations.”
From the outside, the Lins seemed like a wonderful family, and we can’t imagine the weight of the loss for their community. It’s hard to comprehend what could have possibly led their son to commit such heinous crimes. Police have not revealed a potential motive.
