LEXINGTON, MA. – Hongyan Sun, 50, of Lexington, has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death of his wife, Shen Cai, 49, of Lexington.
On May 30, 2019, at 12:30 a.m., Cai was found dead in a white Honda CRV on Worthen Road in Lexington. After an autopsy of Cai, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide by mechanical asphyxiation.
Investigators subsequently learned that Cai and her husband were in the process of going through a divorce and that she had reported to her friends and her attorney a history of verbal abuse and controlling behavior, as well as one prior instance of physical violence. Cai also expressed to friends that she feared for her safety.
Police subsequently learned of an alleged physical altercation between Cai and Hongyan Sun on May 28 and observed injuries on both the victim and the suspect consistent with a violent struggle.
The investigation suggests that after the struggle in their home, Cai’s body was allegedly staged and left in her vehicle on Worthen Road in an apparent attempt to mislead law enforcement.
